of the Church of England. terance, to perform: what I would point out is the effect it has already had,, and the probability there is that a defire of popularity may render the delivery of the fimple documents of Christianity ludicrous, and the precepts themselves difregarded. In reading the Prayers and the Litany, a clerical candidate for fame can exhibit his correct judgment and nice difcrimination in a very small degree: he therefore feizes every occafion of pronouncing with various emphafis, and of oppofing words to each other. He reads, Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trefpaffes.' Wherever the nominative and the accufative cafes meet in a sentence, they are strongly contra-distinguished; and a prayer for the well-being of God's church has often been converted, by a pointed delivery, into a fatire on fuch as are not of that favoured community. The Pfalms, as being the effufions of a mind actuated by human affections, and obnoxious to human fuffering, afford rather more variety in their utter ance. Wehear, confequently, thofe that denounce the wrath of the Deity fulminated from the defk; fuch as deprecate his vengeance infinuated with all the tremulous graces of pathetic intreaty, and the fong of joy recited with anacreontic levity. But the principal difplay of talents is referved for the Leffons, where, as they confift of narrative, exhortation, colloquy, threats, fupplication, and all the diverfities of compofition, there is a bundant room for exhibition. And here allow me to lament, that it is in the power of every ignorant or conceit ed Paftor of a Chriftian flock, who is either insensible to the beauties of Holy Writ, or more concerned for his own reputation with the vulgar than for the effect of his ministry, to obfcure or affix a new fenfe to irrefragable truths, and doctrines of the highest importance. Mofes and Aaron often fcold in the reading desk; Joshua is a downright 373 bully; Samuel is peevish; Elijah and Elisha one would take for conjurers in fhort, few characters in the Old Teftament efcape being caricatured. In the fecond leffons, I have heard that very weighty converfation, be tween our Saviour and the woman of Samaria, delivered in a manner that muft have made a stranger to the divinity of one of the interlocutors fuppofe the woman had met with fome one of her equals who was trying to puzzle her: the importunity expreffive of faith and piety wherewith the Son of God was often befought to heal diseases or reftore life, is made the clamorous outcry of a beggar in an alley; and if any reafoning enfues in the narrative, the odds are much in favour of its being rendered ridiculous. Interrogations are pronounced like our familiar queftions-What's o'clock ?---Where are you going?---and the answer, if it contains reproof, feems to be that of a perfon checking the inquifitivenefs of a child by impofing nonfenfe on it with a terrific afpect. Our bleffed Lord is made to fpeak not only as one of us, but often in the voice of jocularity; and his difciples, not as ignorant perfons defirous of inftruction, but as cap tious and offended cavillers. Befides this method of degrading the church-fervice through vanity and affectation, there are two other ways by which a decent congregation are offended. The one is, by that intolerable practice which is gaining ground apace, of fubftituting words, or new-arranging them. There is at this time a pragmatical fon of the Church, who prefers beginning the feveral clauses of the Litany with, May it pleafe thee, in place of, That it may pleafe thee; ignorant, I will venture to infer, that the petitions and the fupplication uttered by the people form but one fentence, and that by his emendation he gives them a form and meaning never intended in their compofition.---The fame gentleman, in reading the Leffons, omits the words And and Then at the beginning of of a verfe: he reads, Jofeph could not refrain himfelf---Peter opened his mouth It came to pafs, &c. in place of Then Jofeph-Then Peter And it came to pass.-Thefe affected deviations, from the rule of refpect to the tranflators, and from good fenfe, might be more properly, as more mortifyingly, marked by filent contempt and avoidance of the place where this emen dator of our Liturgy condefcends to officiate; but that he who invented them fets up for a teacher of his art, fo that his practice may become preva lent, to the no fmall offence of fuch pious perfons as affemble to hear the word of God, not to fee what folly and conceit can effect. *The other method by which a cons gregation may be, and frequently are difgufted, in that part of the fervice which is performed in the defk, is by the ufe of action, than which scarcely any thing can be more abfurd or ridiculous; yet action is now thought to embellish the beautiful narrations of fcripture. In the addrefs of Jofhua to the fun and moon, I have seen the right arm raised, and the hand pointed, for want of the real objects, at the exalted charitychildren. The parable of the Pharifee and Publican has often given occafion for a refounding thump on the breast. Where our bleffed Lord is faid to have used any action, the reader has adopted it, and fo in numberlefs inftances. I have put together these cursory obfervations with no other motive than I would avow to the parties whofe practice I cenfure. I wish to fee God served in the beauty of holinefs, with decency, regularity, and humility. I go to church, led thither equally by inclination and duty; but I own I can not ftifle my anger at the difappoint ment I often meet with, in the fubftitution of coxcombly caprice for decent propriety; and I leave any one to judge how far a clergyman does his duty, who, in place of inspiring his auditors with * the fentiments of piety and refpect, difmiffes them, irritated at his prefumption, or laughing at his ludicrous action. I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant. A. B. On the various Manners of Attention*. Avec de la vertu, de la capacité & une bonne conduite, on peut être infupportable. Les manieres que l'on néglige comme de petites chofes, font fouvent ce qui fait que les hommes décident de vous en bien ou en mal. LA BRUYERE. who have laboured for the good NE of the many moral writers of the younger part of the female fex, has faid, fpeaking of conversation, that there is a fort of filence which indicates good fenfe. This is certainly true: there is a manner of attention to what others fay that strongly shews a mind, and the various turns of countenance and pofture, while they serve as encouragements to a narrator to proceed, are capable of much grace, and often strongly prejudice one in favour of an auditor. Our manner of attention, as it is ca pable of pleafing, is alfo liable to offend, and therefore it becomes a fit fubject of our care. Few I hope would be content, in any point of focial intercourse, to ftop just fhort of offence, fince pleasure given is ever reflected. Perhaps as this is one of the minutiae of ethics, it may be useful to exemplify a few of the ways in which its rule of right, (for a rule of right is to be found in all things however finall or great,) is infringed. When any one attempts to amufe GELIDUS with a narration or recital, he fits in fullen apathy, interpofing neither word nor fmile of encouragement at any paufe: he hears patiently and attentively, it is true; but it is a fort of patience and attention that makes the fpeaker fear he gives him pain. When you ceafe, he rifes from his chair, re On the various Manners of Attention. peating-Thank you, Sir-much obliged to you, Sir. But do not expect any remark or opinion from Gelidushe heard you without interruption, and in that he thinks he did enough. Chloe's friend, Lucetta, brought her a newly-publifhed poem, that they might share the pleasure of perufing it. Well, you have made me very happy, fays Chloë; now complete your kindnefs by fitting down and reading it. She does fo; and how does Chloë manifeft her happiness ?-by playing with her lap-dog, and making him beg while her friend was reading. Yet fhe was not inattentive; fhe could give a very good account of the poem: her playing with Fidele did not occupy her thoughts-but furely the should have forborne it. Tell Amelia a story-at every three words the interpofes-um-fo-and then-and fuch like helps to discourse. Her fifter, Catharine, practifes anticipation: tell her an interefting tale, fhe is beforehand with you in the cataftrophe: while you are in the middle of it, fhe cries out-and so I fuppofe he was killed-or, and fo I fuppofe fhe died or whatever elfe the fuppofes will be the conclufion. I once attempted to state a cafe to Tom Ramble, and began with faying, that the widow of Sir William Wealthy had been left in perplexing circumftances. What! cried Tom, Lady Wealthy? I remember her a famous toaft-why she was one of the Longlands of Lincolnshire-fhe a widow? dear me! I danced with her in the year fifty-three at Stamford races; I remember it very well, for a comical accident happened at the time: A wag that was there-nobody could find out who it was, but I fufpect it was Jack Merryman, the fame that out of a frolic rode off one day with old Solomon Wifely's horfe-you perhaps never heard that ftory-O! a droll thing it was to be fure-I wont detain you five minutes, only I must tell it you. Why, you muft know, Sir, old Solomon 375 Wifely, as we always ufed to call him I believe it was my poor dear brother Peter that gave him the nameyou knew my brother Peter-he is dead poor fellow-died in the East Indies, juft as he had made his fortune; and as he left no will, all he has goes to his fon, a worthlefs young dog :But I was going to tell you about old Solomon-he fell in love with an old maiden aunt of mine, and he was a little lamish-I don't know how he came fo-I have heard it was a fall from his horfe, as he was returning from a vifit to his eldest fifter, who married Lord Porpoife-that great fat, rich old fellow with the fine eftate in Northamptonshire: Were you ever in that neighbourhood? 'tis a fine county, and a delightful eftate in fummer, but in winter you may be dead or ftarved, and nobody know any thing about you. I am fure it makes out the old proverb -The worfe for the rider, the better for the bider-for it is a brave county, and eftates there are getting up amazingly. Why there was Sam Spendthrift's eftate fold laft week for five and thirty years purchafe-it was bought by Sir Harry Hardy, he that beat Captain Sportly at fome affembly last winter-to be fure Sportly was hardly ufed, for it was a very innocent joke he picked up a lady's glove, and took it to the place where the company chalked their fhoes-there he whited it all over on one fide, and then flily clapped it on the back of every gentleman who had a dark coat onthe laugh was general when they appeared; but the best of all was, that when Mrs Rofy, who had lost her glove, faw the firft man fo marked with the picture of it on his back, she thought it had been her glove pinned there, and went to difengage it. Ah, poor Mrs Rofy!-she is juft deadher daughter ran away with one of Lord Mushroom's fons---he that was in the Guards---and the joke of it was, that while young Mushroom was escaping with Mifs Rofy, my Lord's eldest daughter daughter got off with Dick Lovelace, he whofe mother was fifter to the famous duchefs of what was her name? I cannot think of it. This failure of memory gave me the first opportunity of interpofing, and as I knew the advice I came for was worth having when I could get it, I attempted to resume the thread of my story. I got over a few particulars with only the interruption of about half a score of ejaculations on the marvellous changes that time works, and proceeded to ftate the matter of difficulty, which was, that Sir William Wealthy had, by fome awkward expreffion in his will, unintentionally put it out of his widow's power to accept a very lucrative fituation offered to her youngest fon. Here having occafion to mention another perfon, Tom was again fet off, and when at laft a paufe allowed me to proceed, it was of little avail, for on mentioning the fituation, which was mercantile, he digreffed to the advantages of commerce fo luxuriantly, that finding it impoffible to get any aid from him, I feigned hurry, and departed, leaving Tom, I dare fay, not aware that he had heard but half my flory. -So various and fo common are thefe deviations from propriety and good manners, that one would be inclined to think attention an art or accomplishment which must be learnt before it can be practifed; and yet it confifts in nothing more, than a difpofition to refpectful behaviour, and a defire to fhun whatever can give offence or impede the intentions of another. In fome cafes a profound filence and unvarying countenance are proper as exprefling fubmiffion; but in the common intercourse of life it is feldom pleafant. The encouragement of a fmile the interposition of a word---an in◄ clination of the head, will often fhew that we are gratified, that we underftand or approve what is faid to us: and in the cafe of reading for the amufement of another, however interefting or connected the compofition may be, I had much rather be stopped now and then by fhort expreffions of pleasure or admiration, than be heard with that fort of dumb attention which indicates nothing but that I have im pofed filence on my auditor. A Remarkable Inftances of Superftition among the Chinese *. MONG the doctrines taught chamber, he exclaimed, How much by the Bonzes, or priefts of am I obliged to you, my dear Father! the Chinefe god Fo, is the Pythago- You will deliver me from the greatest rean doctrine of the tranfmigration of mifery!' Baptifm,' answered I, not fouls. The impreffion which this only refcues from hell, but conducts doctrine makes upon the credulous to immortal blifs. What felicity to Chinese, may be judged of by fome enter heaven, and enjoy God for efacts, related by Father le Compte in ver!' I do not perfectly understand his Memoirs: I recollect,' fays he, you,' refumed the fick man, and, that being one day in the province perhaps, I have not fufficiently exof Chanfi, I was called to baptize a plained myself. You know, my Fafick perfon. This was a man of fe- ther, that I have lived for a long time venty years age, who lived upon a on the bounty of the Emperor. The fmall penfion the Emperor had grant- Bonzes, who are well informed of ed him. The moment I entered his what paffes in the other world, affure of *From Defcription Generale de la Chine, par M. l'Abbe Grofier. me, Remarkable Inftances of Superstition among the Chinese. · me, that, in gratitude, I fhall be obliged to ferve my benefactor after my death, and that my foul will infallibly pafs into one of his post-horses, in order to carry the dispatches of the court to diftant provinces. They exhort me, therefore, to perform my duty well when I enter upon my state; not to stumble, to kick, to bite, nor to hurt any one.' 'Run well,' they tell me, 6 eat little, and be patient. By this you will excite the compaffion of the gods, who will often, at last, convert a good beaft into a man of quality and a confiderable Mandarin.' confefs, my Father, that this idea makes me tremble: it haunts me day and night. In my fleep fometimes I already imagine myself in harnefs, and ready to fet off at the first lafh of the poftilion. I wake in unfpeakable terror; not knowing whether I am a man or a horse. Alas! how deplorable will be my fate, when this is no longer a dream! I will tell you then, my Father, the resolution I have taken. I have been affured, that the followers of your religion are not fubject to these calamities; that men with you will be always men, and that, in the other world, they will be what they were in this. I implore you to receive me among you. I know very well that your religion is difficult to be observed; but, were it far more difficult ftill, I am ready to embrace it; for I had much rather be a Chriftian, than become a beast.' 377 has greatly multiplied the number of idols; although each family is seriously occupied in the care of honouring those it has chofen and adopted; it does not appear, however, that the people conftantly preferve a very fincere respect for all these pretended gods. They are fometimes abandoned as impotent deities, when they delay too long to grant the favours requested of them: the worshipper is then tired, and carries his incenfe elsewhere. Others, not fo moderate, treat them with the greatest contempt, and load them with blows and reproaches. "How is this, you dog of a fpirit? they will fay to him; we lodge you in a convenient temple; you are well-gilt, wellfed, and well-cenfed; and, after all the care we bestow upon you, are fo ungrateful as to deny us what is neceffary! They then tie the god with cords, drag him along the kennels in the streets, and roll him in water and filth, to make him pay for all the incense with which they had perfumed him. If, during this execution, it fhould happen that these furious devotees obtain by chance the object of their wishes, they then, with great ceremony, replace the idol in his niche, after having well-washed and wiped him. They even proftrate themselves at his feet, and offer a variety of excufes: We were, indeed,' they say to him, fomewhat too hafty; but, upon the whole, have you not been wrong in being fo difficult? Why would you make us beat you without neceffity? Would it coft you more to grant a favour with a good grace? However, what is done, is done : think no more of it: you shall be newgilt, provided you will forget what is paft.' 'This addrefs, and the fituation of the fick perfon, excited my compaffion but reflecting next, that God makes ufe even of fimplicity and ignorance to conduct men to the truth, I took the opportunity which this gave me, to convince him of his errors, and to point out to him the road to falva- A curious fact, which happened in tion. I inftructed him a long time: the province of Nan-king, in Father he believed at laft; and I had the fa- le Compte's time, is another proof of tisfaction of feeing him die, not only the little regard with which the Chiwith more rational fentiments, but nefe fometimes treat their gods. A with all the signs of a good Chriftian,' perfon, whofe only daughter was ill, Although the Chinese fuperftition and given over by the phyficians, beVOL. VI. No 36. 3 A thought |