general principle of the Apostle's discourses and writings, while it adduces his authority in enforcement of a variety of duties, relating especially to the mode of exhibiting the truths of the Gospel. We can only make room for one extract, in which our Author refers to the Epistle to Titus.

'He saw that a grave and sedate indolence, investing itself with the respectable attribute of moderation, eats out the very heart's core of piety. He knew that these somnolent characters communicate the repose which they enjoy; that they excite no alarm, because they feel none. Their tale of observances is regularly brought in; their list of forms is completely made out. Forms, it is true, are valuable things, when they are used as a dead hedge to secure "the quick;" but here the observances are rested in; here the forms are the whole of the fence. The dead fence is not considered as a protection, but a substitute. The teacher and the taught, neither disturbing nor disturbed, but soothing and soothed, reciprocate civilities, exchange commendations. If little good is done, it is well; if no offence is given, it is better; if no superfluity of zeal be imputed, it is best of all. The Apostle felt what the Prophet expressed," My people love to have it so." " pp. 242-243.

In extolling the style and genius of Saint Paul, Mrs More may be thought, perhaps, to be less happy. Some of her remarks are forced, and her manner is laboured. But we cannot pass over this chapter, without strongly commending the good sense of the following observations. Mrs. More may well be forgiven her old offence of wandering from her text, when the digression is of so attractive a nature.

• Much less do Saint Paul's writings present an example to another and more elegant class, the learned speculatists of the German school, as recently presented to us by their eloquent and accom plished eulogist. Some of these have fallen into the opposite extreme of religious refinement; too airy to be tangible, too mystic to be intelligible. The apostle's religion is not like theirs, a shadowy sentiment, but a vital principle; not a matter of taste, but of conviction, of faith, of feeling. It is not a fair idea, but a holy af fection. The deity at which they catch, is a gay and gorgeous cloud; Paul's is the Fountain of Light. His religion is definite and substantial, and more profound than splendid. It is not a panegyric on Christianity, but a homage to it.' p. 278.

'Too often persons of fime genius, to whom Christianity begins to present itself, do not so much seek to penetrate its depths, where alone they are to be explored, in the unerring word of God, as in their own pullulating imaginations. Their taste and their pursuits have familiarized them with the vast, and the grand, and the interesting: and they think to sanctify these in a way of their own. The feeling of the Infinite in nature, and the beautiful in art; the

flights of poetry, of love, of glory, alternately elevate their imagination, and they denominate the splendid combination, Christianity. But the new cloth" will never assort with "the old garment."

These elegant spirits seem to live in a certain lofty region in their own minds, where they know the multitude cannot soar after them; they derive their grandeur from this elevation, which separates them with the creature of their imagination, from all ordinary attributes, and all associations of daily occurrence. In this middle region, too high for earth, and too low for heaven; too refined for sense, and too gross for spirit; they keep a magazine of airy speculations, and shining reveries, and puzzling metaphysics; the chief design of which is to drive to a distance, the profane vulgar; but the real effect, to separate themselves and their system from all intercourse with the wise and good.' Vol. I. pp. 284-285.

Our readers will not fail to apply the force of some of these remarks, to the eloquent but often unmeaning rhapsodies of a contemporary female writer, between whom and the Author of the Essay on Saint Paul, a remarkably striking contrast might be drawn. On the side of the daughter of Necker, there are the charms of German enthusiasm combined with the brilliancy of the French school, imagination, taste, indisputable genius, and an extensive knowledge of unwritten things to these our excellent countrywoman opposes, a strong and well cultivated understanding, active benevolence, and that knowledge which preeminently deserves the name,-the knowledge of the heart,— of its wants, its disease, and its remedy. If affection be a more honourable tribute than admiration, if singular usefulness be more valuable than ephemeral applause, if there be in truth a glory transcending the brightest creations of fancy, and if the Gospel be the only true philosophy that will sustain us when the world begins to recede,and we discover the eternity which stretches beyond; there will be little difficulty in deciding which of the two writers presents to us the most honourable and the most enviable character, or which will enjoy the most substantial fame. The closing part of the extract has a wider reference.

(To be concluded in our next Number.)

Art. II. Journal of a Voyage, in 1811 and 1812, to Madras and China; returning by the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena; in the H. C. S. the Hope, Capt. James Pendergrass. By James Wathen. Illustrated with twenty-four coloured Prints, from Drawings by the Author. 4to. pp. 250. Price 31. 3s. Nichols and Co. Black, Parry, and Co. 1814.

THE Author of this volume has long been known to artists and amateurs, and also to the inn-keepers in the valleys, and the farmers and cottagers on the mountains of Wales, and other romantic parts of these islands, as a most indefatigable explorer, admirer, and delineator of picturesque scenery. Independent in his circumstances, exempt from domestic cares, simple in his habits, vigorous in physical constitution, active, cheerful, and friendly, in disposition, and impelled by a uniform, unremitting, insatiable, and yet discriminating, passion for the beauty and magnificence displayed in the ever-varying aspects of nature, he is known to have walked thousands of leagues, with an eye incessantly vigilant for striking forms, and a pencil as prompt and faithful to trace their images. The result has been a vast multitude of sketches, presenting, of course, almost all conceivable forms of landscape, afforded by this portion of the world.

However ardent, therefore, might be Mr. Wathen's patriotic feelings, and however partial (almost affectionately so, as his recollective musings in India betray) he might feel it his duty to be to the tracts watered by the Wye, he clearly had a very good right to cast a wishful look toward remoter regions. His friend the Captain of the Hope had almost anticipated his wishes in an invitation to go and steal some of the images of Nature on her eastern side.

It was, at the same time, quite in correct taste that, though India was the main object of the expedition, he resolved to commit every possible theft on the way; accordingly he commenced mariner in the river, instead of meeting the ship at Portsmouth; and, in coasting round to that station, found ample cause to be pleased that he had begun at the beginning. On board the ship much was new to him, and every thing entertaining; and with a perfectly unaffected apology for mentioning a number of particulars unimportant in themselves, and to a proportion of his readers sufficiently familiar, he gives a description truly graphical (to employ an epithet which is soming to be used on all occasions) of the economy and inhabitants of the ship, and the concluding transactions with the landmen who had helped to furnish its complement of men and other animals, and cargo. We will cut out one small part of the picture.

"Several agents attended for the purpose of paying the crew and settling with the crimps. These are a set of men who profess to procure seamen for the company's ships, and for all other vessels. The system of crimpage cannot, perhaps, be defended upon principles of morality; but it is one of those anomalies, those necessary evils, with which human society abounds. The crimps in general, therefore, are not very solicitous respecting moral character. and are furnished from that class from which we derive informers, thief-takers, sheriffs' officers, executioners, and other edious though necessary appendages to civil authority. Many of the children of Israel have pitched their tents among them. To describe the whimsical scenes acted by these men and the tars for two successive days on board the Hope, and to give a faint resemblance of the dialogue and of the language used by the interlocutors, would require the genius and humour of Smollett; while, to exhibit the countenances of the actors, the pencil of Gillray would be inadequate: Lavater himself would have been puzzled to class their physiognomies.'

While spending several weeks at Portsmouth, our Author was occupied, and beyond measure delighted, with the grand engines and operations for preparing those floating volcanoes, the sight of which produced in his mind a sympathetic explosion of patriotism.

It is impossible to express my astonishment, and the national pride I felt, in rowing through the harbour, and observing the bul warks of Britain lying peaceably in her bosom, ready, however, to carry destruction and annihilation to her enemies, wherever they presume even to question her empire over the whole world of waters.'

Before completely launching forth into the perils of that most inhospitable world,' that scene of treachery and barrenness, which so well repays this proud ambition, he very properly takes some account of the power of buoyancy of the ship which was to carry him, and of the number of its human and brute population. The former, who were of various nations, languages, and colours, amounted to 384. His adieu to England, after passing the Land's End, was accompanied with a mingled emotion of apprehension, friendly solicitude, and hope in Providence.

The incidents of the voyage were not numerous, nor extraordinary; but they are related in an entertaining manner. The voyager was fully alive and attentive to them all; and to all the marine phenomena, the grand appearance and action of the waves, the water-spouts, the flying fish, albatrosses, dolphins, sharks, and whales. By the time of passing the Cape of Good Hope, the deaths on board had amounted to fourteen.

With full competence of health, vivacity, curiosity, and

friendly assistance, he met the novelty, variety, and bustle of Madras, in which place and its precincts his utmost faculties of seeing, hearing, walking, banqueting, and depicturing, were kept in exercise for a number of weeks. The most interesting portion of his story in this part is the relation of the visit to Conjeveram, a place of peculiar sanctity with the Hindoos, situated about forty-seven miles west of Madras, on the road to Vellore. Another man of taste accompanied him, and they visited this depôt of shrines and sacred monkeys with merely the ordinary privileges of Englishmen, which of course were insufficient to open to them any of the secrets of the sanctuary. This was, perhaps, less mortifying to our Author, at the time, than after his return to Madras, where he was introduced to an Indian prince, or something of that kind, who told him that had he been informed of this excursion to Conjeveram, he would have introduced Mr. W. to the principal priest of the Zuyam'bra pagoda, who would have permitted him to see some places in the interior but rarely shewn to strangers.' The scene, nevertheless, presented enough to fill and elate our Author's imagination, and offered plenty of subjects to his pencil. A succession of objects captivated his attention by the way; among the rest a strolling party of jugglers, who played some frightful tricks with serpents, and one of whom thrust a short sword down his throat to the hilt, a performance perfectly free from all deception. A school taught by a Brahmin presented a spectacle of order, liveliness, and, as far as could be judged, as much readiness in literary as in manual exercises. The groves of tamarind and banian trees, imparted the most luxurious sensations. The ground on each side of the embowered road, near Conjeveram, was thickly planted with odoriferous shrubs and the most beautiful flowers; the air was perfumed by their odour, and the scene altogether realized the description of the groves of Shadaski, in the Tales of the Genii; I almost expected the appearance of some of those supernatural beings, when we perceived at a small distance many persons busily ' employed under the shade.' These were the population of a little sylvan village, who were spinning and reeling cotton, and weaving in the open air. Here our Author became the unresisting captive of enchantment.

This scene, so remote from the turbulence and vices of populous cities, could not but raise emotions in our minds of the most pleasing and soothing nature. Here we witnessed, in these gentle beings, primeval simplicity of manners, laudable industry; and, surely their mild and expressive features truly depicted the innocence of their hearts. May the Almighty continue his protection to this harmless race; and never may the savage yell of war disturb the repose of these delightful shades,' 2 K

VOL, III.-N. S.