He remonstrated with them upon its folly and want of meaning, and said that he could never imagine before, how painful profane language must be to a Christian. But did he become a sincere disciple of Christ? He always expressed great doubt upon that point. He could hope for nothing from the world, and he was afraid that he might choose other pleasires from that circumstance, without a radical change of feeling. I learned these particulars, a few years since, from one of the parties. The lapse of time may have caused some immaterial variation, but I believe no other. I have endeavoured to be more than substantally correct, and have therefore left many important ileas unexpanded, as I understood them to occur, in the actual conversation. Let the reader meditate on this history, for it is believed to be rich in practical instruction. The main thought is this, that the moral law is a monument,-a sublime monument,-of the great moral transaction at Sinai, at the delivery of the ten commandments. But let him mark also the species of unbelief, the practical temper inspired by disease, the lingering nature of the complaint, the judicious advice and kind attention of the Christian elder, the beautiful arrangement of Providence by which these concurred, the excellence of the moral law as explained and felt, and the glorious reforming power of the Bible.-Abbott's Religious Magazine. MRS. HANNAH MORE'S RECOLLECTIONS OF DR. JOHNSON. MRS. Hannah More, writing to her sister concerning the death of Dr. Johnson, says, "A friend desired he would make his will, and as Hume in his last moments had made an impious declaration of his opinions, he thought it would tend to counteract the poison if Johnson would make a public confession of his faith in his will. He said he would; seized the pen with great eagerness, and asked what was the usual form of beginning a will? His friend told him. After the usual forms, he wrote, I offer up my soul to the great and merciful God; I offer it full of pollution, but in full assurance that it will be cleansed in the blood of the Redeemer.' And for some time he wrote on with the same vigour and spirit as if he had been in perfect health. When he expressed some of his former dread of dying, Sir John said, “ If you, doctor, have these fears, what is to become of me and others ?' Oh! Sir,' said he, 'I have written piously, it is true; but I have lived too much like other men.' It was a consolation to him, however, in his last hours, that he had never written in derogation of religion and virtue. He talked of his death and funeral at times with great composure. On the Monday morning, he fell into a sound sleep, and continued in that state for twelve hours, and then died without a groan." "No action of his life became him like the leaving it. His death makes a kind of era in literature; piety and goodness will not easily find a more able defender, and it is delightful to see him set, as it were, his dying seal to the professions of his life, and to the truth of Christianity. "I now recollect with melancholy pleasure, two little anecdotes of this departed genius, indicating a zeal for religion which one cannot but admire, however characteristically rough. When the Abbé Raynal was introduced to him, upon the Ablé's advancing to take his hand, Doctor J. drew back and put his hands behind him, and afterwards replied to the expostulation of a friend, Sir, I will not shake IS THIS THE GLORY OF WAR? MR. EDITOR, The following paragraph, which I have copied from a French paper, will, doubtless, lead to some profitable reflections in the minds of some of your readers; it will occasion them not only to exclaim, as I did, Is This THE GLORY OF WAR ? but it will assuredly stir up their souls to pray that the prediction of the prophet Isaiah may be, as through the divine goodness, it has been partly, perfectly fulfilled, “He, Messiah, shall judge among the nations," &c. (Isai. ii. 4.) "One of the orderlies of general Trezel, in the expedition against Mascara, is a non-commissioned officer, a Turk by birth, and a young man of most extraordinary ardour and bravery. Since he has been in the service of France, he has slain on the field of battle nineteen Arabs, and has had five horses killed under him. He obtained the cross of the legion of honour for his gallant conduct at the unfortunate engagement of La Macta, on the 26th of June. Having lost his horse in the charge in which fell colonel Oudinot, he gained possession of that of an Arab, whom he slew; on this he managed to throw the corpse of his deceased colonel, and bring it safe to Oran."-Ami de Paix. KING HENRY VIII. AND HIS ROSARY. The duke of Devonshire has in his possession the rosary worn by Henry VIII. Upon the four sides of each bead are four circles, within which are carved groups, each taken from different chapters in the Bible. Nothing can surpass the exquisite beauty of the workmanship of this relic of other days. Every figure is perfect, in consequence of the extreme minuteness of their size: and the whole is from the design of that great master, Holbein, who has painted Henry in these identical beads. The rosary is ingeniously preserved from injury, while it is exhibited in full view, being suspended within a glass bell, The rosary" is an ingenious device of the Roman Catholics, to aid them in their devotions to the Virgin Mary it is a string of beads, by which the devotee reckons the number of prayers offered to the blessed lady. The rosary consists of fifteen repetitions of the Lord's Prayer, and one hundred and fifty salutations of the blessed virgin. Our readers will wonder who could have invented this mode of piety, as it is not mentioned in the Holy Scripture, and it may be stated here that it was contrived in the tenth century, when but few of the priests read the Bible. HUMAN LABOUR Relieved.-The amount of work done by machinery at the present period in England is equivalent to that of 400,000,000 men. Machine labour and its immense profits, may not at present be to a great extent sanctified by religion; but there is reason to believe, that all the improvements in science and the arts, will ultimately be consecrated to the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ, to the glory and praise of God. CHRISTIAN LADY'S FRIEND. BIOGRAPHY OF EVE, THE MOTHER OF ALL MANKIND.-PART I. 66 EVE, the first woman," "the mother of all living," daughter of God and man;" spotless in holiness, divinely adorned with perfect beauty and every grace, must needs require the pen of inspiration, worthily to write her biography. For who among fallen beings can form a correct idea of such exalted loveliness? much less describe it accurately for general contemplation! Eve, equally with the first man, was the immediate workmanship of Him who created the mysterious, glorious universe! her form and endowments, therefore, must have been truly worthy of God! Eve was, in every respect, an help meet for Adam;" designed by infinite wisdom and goodness, and fashioned and perfected by the skill of the ever blessed Creator. 66 Divine inspiration anticipates our wishes to contemplate the origin and design of this admirable production of almighty skill. Adam had been "created in the likeness and image of God;" his bountiful Maker had invested him with the sovereign lordship over all the creatures in this lower world; and brought them before him that he might give them names appropriate, corresponding with their various natures. "But for Adam there was not found a help meet for him." Gen. ii. 20. Amidst all the luxuriant profusion of creation, filled with innumerable means of felicity in which the brute species could not participate, the constituted monarch of the whole earth and seas, had no human associate to share his sympathies, to reciprocate kindness, and to enjoy the hallowed intercourse of heaven-born sentiment and holy love. Such a condition was incompatible with his noble and social nature. "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone: I will make him an help meet for him." Gen. ii. 18. Careless readers of the Scriptures have supposed that Adam was alone and solitary for a considerable period of time; but it is evident that Eve was created on the same day with her husband. Gen. i. 27, 28. Adam had been "formed of the dust of the ground;" but nobler was the origin of woman. She was fashioned from the dearest part of the living and intelligent creation. "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her to the man." Gen. ii. 21, 22. Bishop Hall, with his pious ingenuity remarks, "I do not find that man, thus framed, found the want of a helper. His fruition of God gave him feelings of contentment; but he that gave him his being, and knew him better than himself, thinks of giving him comfort in the creature, whilst he sought none but in his Maker. Rather than man's innocency shall want an outward comfort, God will begin a new creation: not out of the earth, which was the matter of man; not out of the inferior creatures, which were the servants of man; but out of himself, for dearness of equality. Now she owes nothing but to her Creator; the rib of Adam sleeping, can challenge no more of her, than the earth can of him. It was a happy change to Adam, of a rib, for a helper. Milton, in his description of Eve at her creation, represents her as "Adorned With what all earth or heaven could bestow To make her amiable; on she came, Led by her heavenly Maker, though unseen, And guided by his voice Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, In every gesture dignity and love." Celestial intelligence influencing the mind of Adam, led him to appreciate this ineffable boon of his bountiful Maker; and by divine inspiration he was led to declare the origin of this unsolicited benefit, when receiving his "other self," he exclaimed, "This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man." Gen. ii. 23. Enraptured with delight, in the possession of so inestimable a treasure, and filled with the inspiring spirit, he pronounced, as by the mouth of God, the divine law of marriage, designed to regulate the conduct of all mankind. This, therefore, is justly regarded as the holy oracle of God, delivered by the first man on the merciful institution of this conjugal union-"Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh." ver. 24. "What an important era," exclaims Dr. Hunter, "in the life of Adam! What a new display of the Creator's power, and skill, and goodness! How must the spirit of devotion be heightened, now that man could join in social worship! What additional satisfaction in contemplating the frame, order, and course of nature, now that he possessed the most exalted of human joys, that of conveying knowledge to a beloved object! now that he can instruct Eve in the wonders of creation, and unfold to her their Maker's nature, perfections, and will! What a new flavour have the fruits which grow in the garden of God acquired, now that they are gathered by the hand of conjugal affection, and recommended to the taste by the smile of complacency and love!" Licentious men, both of ancient and modern times, have carried on a course of open and incessant hostility against the institution of marriage; as they have, indeed, against all the real interests of mankind. They have arraigned the wisdom and denied the benefits of it; charging upon it evils which it does not produce; and aggravating those which are incident to the marriage state. Unhappy marriages, which have been contracted in violation of the law of our nature and of the Scripture, have been pleaded and without integrity, held up to public view, as just exhibitions of the marriage state in general. Young men especially, have been led away by some modern writers on this subject, who have misstated facts, sophisticated arguments, and when neither would answer their corrupt purpose, they have endeavoured to accomplish it by contempt, sneers, and ridicule! Marriage must be of divine institution; as the violation of it is seen to produce the most extreme degradation of character in both sexes, and to become the occasion of most of the evils, by which the mightiest nations are afflicted; while the religious observance of it leads to all the social blessings which are enjoyed among mankind. Comfort and friendship, politeness and education, national wealth, and even religion, flow from the institution of marriage, proving it to have originated in the wisdom and counsel of God! Divine revelation gives no intimation how long the perfect felicity of the first married pair continued, nor any details of their delightful intercourse, or social worship. God had graciously entered into covenant with Adam, and he instructed his holy spouse in the nature of its benevolent condition; but it was violated; and first by Eve, by which they were plunged into guilt, danger, and unnumbered miseries, with all their posterity. Moses has given us an inspired account of this melancholy revolt, in a manner deeply affecting and instructive. "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know, that in the day ye eat thereof, ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat." Gen. iii. 1-6. Eve was beguiled by the subtilty of the envious and malicious tempter, "that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan." Rev. xx. 2. "The woman being deceived, was in the transgression." 1 Tim. ii. 14. In accomplishing his accursed object, the Devil, the tempter, in the serpent, first addressed himself to the principle of curiosity in the mind of Eve. This useful principle has been correctly called, "the investigator of truth, the mother of invention, the prompter to rashness, the parent of danger, the guide to ruin." Eve's curiosity, innocent in its first exercise, was soon precipitated to fatal rashness. Probably she was alone when her holy loyalty was corrupted. "Forth reaching to the fruit, she pluck'd, she ate : Darkness and alienation of mind succeeded instantly, but the immediate effects of this criminal act, we are not able correctly to ascertain. She became, however, the tempter of Adam, and involved him also in her guilt and misery. "She gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat." ver. 6. "Adam was not deceived," as is testified by the inspired apostle. 1 Tim. ii. 14. "He scrupled not to eat Sky lower'd, and muttering thunder, some sad drops, Knowledge they gained indeed, by this criminal folly; but it was only knowledge of evil. "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together; and made themselves aprons." ver. 7. That the serpent was the instrument of some evil spirit is evident; and, by various intimations in the Holy Scriptures, we learn his hateful character, and part of his wicked history. Eve, it is supposed, was powerfully attracted by the resplendent beauty of this serpent; and that she imagined it was a ministering angel, when the creature addressed her in human language. An angel was, indeed, present; but it was an angel of darkness. It is manifest that the evil spirit in the serpent was originally one of those glorious beings, who surround the throne of God, their Creator; and probably the guilty chief of those "angels who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation," and are now reserved under chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day." Jude 6. "War in heaven" there had been; and "the devil and his angels were overcome, and driven from their blessed abode. Rev. xii. 7. Satan, their chief, seems to have possessed the largest measure of malignity and subtilty, by which he was prompted to seek the ruin of the new, the beloved creature, man. Infinite Wisdom, in his mysterious counsel permitted the tempter to prevail, and thus acquire to himself that most detestable of all titles "The father of lies." John viii. 44. It may be proper here to remark, that he succeeded in corrupting the mind of Eve, at first only by insinuating a doubt. "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden ?" Nothing can be conceived more artful than this wily suggestion. It being effectual to excite her curiosity, and to lead her admiring eyes towards the forbidden fruit, with diabolical audacity "the father of lies" asserts, "Ye shall not surely die." To gain full credit to his falsehood, he added an awful oath, swearing even by the Almighty!" For God doth know, that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods!" How cautious should the young especially be in listening to any suggestion to disbelieve the truth of the Word of God! or to question the sacred precepts in the Bible! 66 Eve soon began to feel the fatal effects of her criminal folly. Having lost their innocence, their peace of conscience perished, and shame, guilt, and terror, took possession of their guilty minds. Their eyes were opened" indeed, as the evil spirit in the serpent had declared; but not to know good-it was only to discover their present misery-their impending danger-and their merited eternal ruin. Confusion filled their minds as "they knew that they were naked." The nakedness of their bodies was emblematical of their souls stripped by sin of the robe of innocence, security, and honour. Milton judiciously conceives, "They sat them down to weep; not only tears Woman thus introduced sin into our world!" and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned." While, however, we contemplate the origin of our mortality, we should render eternal praises to "the God of all grace" for his sovereign mercy, that "as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, Jesus Christ, shall many be made righteous." Rom. v. 19. ADVANTAGES OF FEMALE EDUCATION. "IN the present golden age, female talent is much more highly appreciated than at any antecedent period, though it is still too much and too shamefully neg. lected; and notwithstanding the rapid strides which the march of mind has made within the last fifty years (arising, in a great measure, from the increase of those laudable institutions and schools which adorn our country), it is presumed that it would not be saying too much to assert, that this progress would, at least, have been quadruple had women been duly qualified for the important office of instructors to their children. "The advantages of a cultivated mind, in every point of view, are incalculable. An uncultivated man is a dangerous associate, and more especially Mrs. More makes no reflections on this remark of the mussulman: but while his religion in many essentials is false, his habit of devotion may serve to reprove the careless, undevout professors of pure and divine Christianity. THE YOUNG MOTHER. By Mrs. SIGOURNEY. THERE lay upon its mother's knee if he be not governed or influenced by religion. His | Italian, and the rest was interpreted to me by his propensities are selfish and violent. His qualifica- | secretary." tions make him only the most mischievous and dangerous of animals. Such an one becomes hateful to others, and, being aware of this, he can never raise his thoughts above the petty plots for the molestation of his fellows, or miserable precautions for his own security. It is only through culture that he can arrive at any sense of his duties, and, through that sense of his duties, to any estimation of himself. That first important step gained, what an infinity of gradations remain! How excellent to reach the top of such a progression, and to enjoy over so large a portion of mankind, a pure, a noble, an undisputed exaltation! Superiority of mental powers (says a late excellent author, speaking of the advantages of education) is the warrant of the Almighty for command, and man will eagerly bow to it wheresoever his judgment acknowledges the stamp and signature.' Having attained that summit, think what an expanse must then spread beneath your eye. How distinct then will be the view of the universe; that view which necessarily leads the mind from nature up to nature's God: and this is not all, the capacity to which he has raised himself, of gazing more steadfastly and more fervently on the ineffable glories of the Creator, will only teach him to read more distinctly that part which Almighty wisdom has assigned to us here below. "If education, then, be so pregnant with good, and if the opening germs of the young mind are to be cherished and cultivated by females, how much is it to be regretted that British ladies should sit down, with listless indifference, contented to polish, when they are able to reform; to entertain when they might instruct; and to dazzle for an hour when they are candidates for eternity."-Goukman on Female Education. MRS, HANNAH MORE AND THE TURKISH "I have always had a great curiosity," says Mrs. Hannah More, "to converse with a disciple of Mahomet, and it was gratified the other day (May 1786) by my being invited to meet the Turkish ambassador. His suite, I think, consisted of six mussulmans, They took their coffee sitting cross-legged on the floor. I confined my attention chiefly to his excellency, who was placed next to me on the sofa, and did not sit cross-legged. His dragoman is a very sensible, agreeable person, and speaks all languages. The ambassador, a good solemn-looking Turk, was very communicative: his son stood the whole evening behind the sofa on which his father sat. I obtained considerable information about their usages and manners. At my desire, they spoke together a little Arabic, which is a very prettysounding language. They had, I believe, some hopes of bringing me over to the faith of the prophet, for they recommended me to read Sale's edition of the Alcoran. In return, I think I should have advised them to read White's Sermons. I asked them how they contrived to exercise their religion in this country without a mosque. They told me that every great man in their country was both priest and lawyer, and allowed to exercise all the functions of both; that the ambassador did the duties of religion in his own house; and the Turk added, I do not know how those (pointing to some statesmen who sat at a distance) lords do, but I am not ashamed to own that I retire five times a day to offer prayer and oblation. This he partly explained to me in broken While syren Hope, with gladness wild, Bent sweetly down to kiss the child, Then Memory came, with serious mien, And bitter odours ting'd the flowers, A radiant mantle threw, REVIEW. : Sacred Poetry of the Seventeenth Century, including the whole of Giles Fletcher's Christ's Victory and Triumph; with copious Selections from Spenser, Davies, Sandys, P. Fletcher, Wither, Bishop King, Quarles, Herbert, and Milton. Vol. I. with an Introductory Essay and Critical Remarks, by the REV. R. CATTERMOLE, B.D. 12mo, cloth. Pp. xxxii.-351. London: Hatchard. SACRED POETRY is a subject of delightful study with Christians who have much leisure for reading and by such this will be esteemed a choice volume. Milton, in describing the field for the creative powers of the poet, has comprehended within its boundaries, whatsoever in religion is holy and sublime, in virtue amiable or grave; whatsoever hath passion or admiration, in all the changes of that which is called fortune from without, or the wiles, subtleties, and refluxes of a man's thoughts from within; all these to paint and describe, teaching over the whole book of sanctity and virtue." 66 66 Mr. Coleridge, as quoted in the Introductory Essay, assigns an elevated station, under Providence, to poets, in the mental and moral condition of nations. "That we include these," says he, we include under a distinct providential, though not a miraculous dispensation, will surprise no one, who reflects that, in whatever has a permanent operation on the destinies of mankind at large-that in all which has been manifestly employed as a co-agent in the mightiest revolution of the moral world, the propagation of the Gospel; and in the intellectual progress of mankind, the restoration of philosophy, science, and the ingenious arts-it were irreligion not to acknowledge the hand of Divine Providence." This interesting volume contains many choice pieces exhibiting the very soul of poetry and while some of them shew the peculiar quaintness of style which distinguishes the age in which the authors lived, we doubt not it will be very highly prized. No poem can be given as a specimen of the rest, except as to their sentiments of piety. The following may, perhaps, be regarded as exhibiting many of the peculiarities of the collection : 66 With him to feast; When Lot but said, Turn in, my Lord,' Thou wert his guest. But, ah! this heart of mine doth pant, And beat for thee; Yet thou art strange, and wilt not grant Thyself to me. What, shall thy people be so dear To thee no more? Or is not heaven to earth as near "The famish'd raven's hoarser cry My soul is famish'd, and I die "O thou great ALPHA! King of kings! Or lend my soul seraphic wings, TO A SPRIGHTLY GIRL, WHO REQUESTED MARGARET, we never met before, Sweet smiles and blushes darting; I dare not wish thee stores of wealth, I dare not wish thee beauty's prize, They look through tears, they breathe in sighs; Of these good gifts be thou possest, But, little Margaret, mayst thou be And all it loves and blesses; Thy hope through every future breath, R. H. I HAIL the Winter! though sterile and bare; And verdant plains are cover'd o'er with snow; The snow-clad mountains, the deserted trees, O Winter, thou hast charms! th' unblushing smile *Alluding to those in the eleven whaling vessels frozen in in Davis's Straits. London: Printed and Published by JAMES S. HODSON, at 22, Poppin's Court, Fleet Street; where all communications for the Editor (post paid) are to be addressed; sold also by Simpkin, Marshall, and Co., and by all other Booksellers, Newsvenders, &c. in the Kington. The trade may be supplied in London, by STEI, Patemoster Row ; BERGER, Holywell Street, Strand; in Manchester, by Ellerby ; Shefeld, Innocent. |