The import of this canon of criticism is, if I understand it correctly, that a reading which is harsh, obscure, difficult, and unusual, is to be preferred to a reading which is perspicuous, obvious, and usual. Or, where, in the critical examination of an ancient author, two readings present themselves; the one of which is the more perspicuous, obvious, and usual, and the other comparatively harsh, obscure, difficult, and unusual; the latter is to be selected as the genuine text; and that it is to be thus preferred because it is the more harsh, obscure, difficult, and unusual reading.

The grounds of this decision are not stated, and they do not readily suggest themselves to my mind. Were an author, indeed, not only in" some things hard to be understood," but characterized throughout his work as a writer harsh, obscure, and difficult of comprehension; it would be natural to reject the more perspicuous and obvious reading as spurious. I can as yet conceive of no other case in which such a decision could consist with what must be supposed to be the universal design of writing-which is to be easily understood. I hope, I hope, therefore, that some of your philological correspondents will, through the medium of the Christian Spectator, communicate their views so as to enlighten and satisfy my mind on the subject.

Beck, also, lays it down among "common laws," under the division of" higher criticism :" that

"Where the same, or nearly the same words, are found in another part of the book, and suit the connexion of the discourse in that place, much better than in the passage under consideration, it is probable that they have crept in, and ought to be expunged."

In a system of logic; a strictly mathematical treatise; a philosophical analysis of the powers and operations of the mind; or a forensic

argument, distinguished for method and precision, the recurrence of "nearly the same words," would be a sufficient reason for expunging them, as having crept in out of their place. But the scriptures were communicated through such successive periods, were written by so many different authors, consist of so many distinct parts, and are so peculiar in their spirit, construction, and design, that this rule cannot be equally applicable to them. The scriptures do repeat and reiterate the same things, in "nearly the same words," and such no doubt were the intent and the suggestion of the Holy Ghost to the minds of the writers. The plan of the scriptures requires this. They contain a complete system of revealed religion, but scattered in unnumbered fragments throughout the whole volume. No one part comprises all the light which the Bible sheds on a given subject. The scattered rays must be collected and brought to a point. Then we shall be enabled to understand whatever we need to believe or do. "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little," indicates the method in which the word of the Lord reveals his will. This feature in their character makes it peculiarly obligatory, as well as desirable, to search the scriptures, study them in course, so as to discern every beauty, cull every flower, and be enriched with their every

treasure.

So far, therefore, as the book of God is concerned, I cannot perceive the propriety or equity of the rule, that" where the same, or nearly the same words, are found in another part of the book," though they may seem to suit the connexion of the discourse in that place, much better than in the passage under consideration, it is probable they have crept in, and ought to be expunged." On this subject, also, I wish for more

light, and look to your learned biblical writers in expectation of receiving it.

One more statement, from the same distinguished author, with a a query subjoined, and I shall have done.

"No reading which is derived from the ancient versions alone, and is destitute of other authority, is to be approved; yet the concurrence of all the versions and the ancient fathers, renders the reading of the MSS. very suspicious." Then at the distance of a single page, "The mere omission of a passage, in the commentaries of the fathers, is not sufficient evidence against it. Yet if the passage be important, their silence renders it suspicious.'

Now if the " concurrence of all the versions and the ancient fathers, renders the reading of the MSS. very sus picious, how can it be that "their silence renders it suspicious?" Let this point be elucidated by some erudite interpreter of the sacred volume, and I shall feel greatly obliged. A LEARNER.

For the Christian Spectator.

THE POWER OF BLOQUENCE.

THE following anecdote was related to the writer by the late Dr. Strong, of Hartford, about a year before his death.

Soon after Dr. Strong was settled in Hartford, Dr. Bellamy came to his house on a Friday for the purpose of spending the ensuing sabbath with him. Dr. Bellamy at that time, partly from personal prejudices, and still more from his theological sentiments, was very unpopular with the dominant party in the state. And the next day, several of the influential members of the Legislature which was then in session, and some of the most respecta

ble citizens of Hartford, particularly requested Dr. Strong not to invite Dr. Bellamy to preach. This was stated to Dr. Bellamy; and Dr. Strong then left it with him to say whether he would preach or not. Dr. Bellamy's reply was, "I will preach and don't be concerned, Strong, for I shall please them all."

In the forenoon, he described the virtue and happiness of the millennium; and was listened to by the audience with evident delight. At the close of the sermon he remarked, to them, that they might perhaps wonder how so great a change in the character of man could be effected; but if they would attend in the afternoon he would tell them.

In the afternoon, after alluding to his promise, he told them that the manner in which this change was to be effected was described in the gospel, by John i. 13. ; which he had selected for his text, "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man; but of God." The great theological question at issue in that day was, whether men were regenerated by light, or by the special influences of the Spirit. The former side of the question was embraced by the men who were unwilling that Dr. Bellamy should preach. Their error was combated by the preacher with great force of argument, and the truth defended by the most commanding eloquence.

The result was, that the very men who on Saturday had requested that Dr. Bellamy might not be invited to preach, notwithstanding their former prejudices, and although the preacher had assaulted and carried their favourite position, were round on Monday morning with a subscription paper to have the sermons of Dr. Bellamy published.

L.

SPECIMENS OF ARABIAN POETRY.

[Continued from p. 141.]

ON MODERATION IN OUR PLEASURES.

By Abou Alcassim Ehen Tabataba.

How oft does passion's grasp destroy
The pleasure that it strives to gain!
How soon the thoughtless course of joy
Is doom'd to terminate in pain!

When prudence would thy steps delay,
She but restrains to make thee blest;
Whate'er from joy she lops away,

But heightens and secures the rest.
Would'st thou a trembling flame expand,
That bastens in the lamp to die?
With careful touch, with sparing hand
The feeding stream of life supply.

But if thy flask profusely sheds

A rushing torrent o'er the blaze,
Swift round the sinking flame it spreads,
And kills the fire it fain would raise.

The 'lamp' mentioned in the third stanza, is the massal used on festival occasions in the East, especially at their wedding processions. It is made with a socket in the upper end, in which oiled rags are fixed for a wick; and being borne aloft in one hand, pours a flood of light on the procession, while, as the flame languishes, it is supplied with oil from a flask, or vessel' as it is called in the parable of the ten virgins, carried in the other hand. The beauty of the simile in the third and fourth stanzas will be easily perceived-life is wasted and extinguished by excess of pleasure, as the flame dies from an excess of oil poured upon the wick.

ON AVARICE.

By Hatem Tai.

"Hatem Tai was an Arabian chief who lived a short time prior to the promulgation of Mahommedanism. He has been so much celebrated through the East for his generosity, that even to this day the greatest encomium which can be given to a generous man, is to say, 'he is as liberal as Hatem.'"

How frail are riches and their joys!
Morn builds the heap which eve destroys;
Yet can they leave one sure delight-
The thought that we've employ'd them right.

What bliss can wealth afford to me
When life's fast soleman tour I see,

When Mavia's sympathizing sighs
Will but augment my agonies!

Can hoarded gold dispel the gloom
That death must shed around bis tomb?
Or cheer the ghost which hovers there,
And fills with shrieks the desert air?

What boots it, Mavia, in the grave,
Whether I loved to waste or save?
The band that millions now can grasp,
In death no more than mine shall clasp.

Were I ambitious to behold
Increasing stores of treasured gold,
Each tribe that roams the desert knows
I might be wealthy, if I chose :

But other joys can gold impart,
Far other wishes warm my heart-
Ne'er may I strive to swell the heap,
Till want and woe have ceased to weep.

An Essay on Faith. By THOMAS ERSKINE, Esq. Advocate: author of "Remarks on the Internal Evidence for the truth of Revealed Religion." Philadelphia, 1823. 18mo. pp. 144.

Concluded from page 154.

We have now exhibited our author's views of "Christian faith, in its exercise and object." His remarks on its practical influence constitute not the least valuable part of his performance; but we have only room for the following:

"We shall be saved from much perplexity and error in our inquiries into the nature and exercise of faith, by keeping in mind what is its design or end. We are not commanded to believe merely for the sake of believing, or to show our ready submission to the will of God; but because the objects which are revealed to us for our belief, have a natural tendency to produce a most important and blessed change on our happiness and our characters. Every object which is believed by us operates on our characters according to its own nature. If therefore we have taken a wrong view of revelation, that wrong view will operate upon us, and produce a bad effect on our characters. This shows the importance of a correct knowledge of the truth contained in revelation. A man's character is formed by his beliefs. Let us suppose a person of good natural affections to have his mind occupied continually by the history of an injurious fraud which he believes to have been practised against him, on some occasion. It is impossible that he can escape being miserable, and becoming morally depraved. His bad passions, by being constantly excited, must grow strength and in susceptibility of similar impressions, and his happier affections, by being unexercised, must fade and die. Let us again suppose a man with less amiable natural qualities, whose life or fortune had been at one time saved by the self-sacrificing generosity of a friend. If this event makes such an impression on him, as to be more present to his thoughts than any other, it cannot fail of softening and

in

improving his character, and increasing his happiness. His good affections are thus continually exercised, and must therefore be continually gaining strength, whilst bad passions are at the same time displaced. Of those who have acquired the character of misanthropes, probably nine out of ten have, like Timon, been men of generous dispositions, who, having been deceived in friendship, have ever after looked on fair professions as the symbols of dishonest intentions. Their feelings of contempt, and hatred, and wounded pride, being thus continually exercised by this unfortunate belief, the whole frame of their character has been ruined, and their peace of mind destroyed. And it is possible that, if we could look into the hearts of men and trace their history, we might find some of the brightest examples of benevolence amongst those whose natural dispositions were most opposite to it, but who had allowed the history of the Redeemer's love so to abide in them, that it had softened and changed their hearts, and healed their diseased affections."

pp. 93-95.

"Our minds receive an influence from every thing by which they are occupied, and according to the degree in which they are occupied by it; and this degree is determined by the importance which our feelings attribute to it. If then the importance of the gospel is believed, it will occupy the mind much; and if it does so, it will keep the affections in healthy exercise, and a right direction. If it does not occupy our minds, its importance is not seen, and therefore its real nature is not believed. Objects assume importance in our minds, according to the relation which they bear to the general bent of our affections. Thus any event which promises either to increase or diminish his wealth, assumes great importance in the mind of an avaricious man. The small importance, therefore, which is often attached to the gospel, by those who may even have heard and read much about it, and profess to believe in it, arises from the circumstance of their affections having an opposite bent. There is something in the gospel, and in the holy character of Him whose

"It is possible to believe not only in the facts, but also in the system of Christianity as a philosophical theory, and yet be destitute of faith in the truth. There is something very striking in the relative suitableness which exists between the susceptibility of the human mind to receive certain impressions, and the power of Christian truth to make an impression; and it is conceivable that a man may be captivated by this intellectual and moral harmony, and take much pleasure in tracing it through all its detail, and yet derive no more profit from it, than from the examination of any curious piece of material mechanism. This can be easily explained. The object of his belief is not the gospel itself, but the adaptation of the gospel to its purpose. This is the shape which the idea of the gospel assumes in his mind, and from this he derives his impression of it. He avows his belief of the facts contained in the sacred history, and he distinctly perceives the moral qualities manifested in them; but he does not consider them as things existing by themselves, and independent of all human reasoning upon them. He is occupied by the metaphysics of religion, as the formalist is occupied by the ceremonies. He considers the facts and principles of revelation simply in their philosophical relation to those feelings VOL. VII.-No. 4.

25

which they address in human nature ; he is therefore impressed not with the condescending goodness of God, but with the skill which appears in the adaptation of the manifestation of that goodness to the moral defects of man. A philosophical critic would have had much delight in remarking the skill with which Demosthenes selected his topics and arguments, so as to excite those feelings in his audience which were favourable to his own cause; but this philosophical delight left his passions unmoved, and his conduct uninfluenced. It was the orator's wish to gain his cause, and this he could only do by moving the affections and convincing the judgment of the Athenians. But the affections could not be moved, nor the judgment convinced, unless his statements and arguments were received as substantial truth in themselves, altogether independent of philosophical relation and harmony. Had he delivered a critical analysis of his famous oration for the crown, instead of the oration itself, it is probable that he, and not Eschines, would have been exiled. It is proper that this beautiful relation should be seen and admired; but if it comes to be the prominent object of belief, the great truth of Christianity is unbeliev ed. A teacher of religion, who should fill his discourses with the delineation of this relation, might be a very entertaining and interesting preacher, but it is probable that he would not make many converts to Christianity. Our affections are excited by having corresponding objects presented to them, not by observing that there does exist such a relation between the affections and their objects. A man under the sentence of death may well and naturally rejoice when he hears that he is pardoned; but it will be no consolation to him to be informed, that there is a natural connexion between receiving a pardon in such circumstances, and rejoicing. As the blood flowed no better through Hervey's veins than it does through the veins of many who never heard of the theory of circulation; so an acquaintance with the relation which subsists between moral impressions and their exciting causes does not give the philosopher any advantage; in point of moral susceptibility, over the peasant who never heard of such a relation." pp. 119--122.