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in a chamber and the open air. The one change is of more importance to me than the other; but not more so to the universe."

This is the old argument, that "the life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster."

As far as this argument goes, then, there would be no harm done, if the whole fpecies were to take arms, and, like Bayes's troops in the Rehearsal, "all kill one another." But we know that the life of man is no infignificant matter in the eye of God and Mr. H. himself feems to think it of fome importance, to the perfon concerned.

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GLEANINGS. No. VI.

OR SELECT THOUGHTS, ANECDOTES AND EXTRACTS. Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be loft. John vi, 12.

SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.

AFTER this accomplished gentleman was wounded, near the walls of Zutphen, the horse he rode being rather furiously choleric than bravely proud, forced him to forfake the field. In this fad progrefs, paffing along by the reft of the army where his uncle Robert, Earl of Leicefter, the general was, and being thirfty with excefs of bleeding, he called for fome drink, which was brought him. But, as he was putting the bottle to his mouth, he faw a poor foldier carried along, who had been wounded at the fame time, and who ghaftily caft up his eyes at the bottle: Sir Philip perceiving this, took it from his mouth without drinking any himself, and delivered it to the poor man, with these words; Thy necefity is yet greater than mine."

This generous behaviour of our gallant knight ought not to pafs without a panegyrick. All his deeds of bravery, his politenefs, his learning, his courtly accomplishments, do not reflect fo much honour upon him, as this heroic action. It difcovered fo tender and benevolent a nature: a mind fo fortified against pain: a heart fo overflowing with generous fentiments to relieve, in oppofition to the violent call of his own neceflities, a poor man languishing in the fame distress before himself, that none can read it without admiration.-Bravery is often conftitutional; fame may be the motive to feats of arms; a statesman and a courtier may act from intereft; but a facrifice fo generous as this, can be made by none but fuch as are truly good as well as great; who are noble minded, and gloriously compaffionate like SIDNEY.

AVARICE PUNISHED.

Monfieur Fofcue, one of the farmers general of Languedoc, by grinding the faces of the poor within his province, had amaffed an immenfe fum of money, which being known to the government, he was ordered to raife a confiderable fum. But not being inclined to comply with this demand, he pleaded extreme poverty. And left the inhabitants of the province fhould give information to the contrary, he refolved to hide his treasure in fuch a manner as to escape the moft rigid examination. dug a kind of cave in his cellar, fo large and deep that he could go down by a ladder. At the entrance was a door with a fpring lock, which on fhutting would faften of itself. One day Monfieur Fofcue was miflingdiligent fearch was made after him every where, but to no purpose; at

He

laft

laft the house was fold. The purchaser beginning to rebuild it, difco vered a door in the cellar, and going down found Monf. Fofcue lying dead with a candlestick near him, and on fearching farther, they found the vast wealth which he had amaffed. The purchafer fuppofed that he had gone down into the cave, and the door by fome accident fhutting after him, he was out of the hearing of any perfon, and perithed for want of food. He had eat the candle, and gnawed the flesh off both his arms. Thus died this mifer, in the midst of his beloved gold, to the scandal of himself and the prejudice of the state.

A HINT TO ARIANS AND SOCINIANS.

Theodofius, the Emperor, having by an edit given liberty to the Arians to preach, Amphilochus, bithop of Iconium, took the following method to prevail with him to recall that permiflion. As Theodofius had made Arcadius, his fon, co-emperor and Cæfar with him, feveral bishops came to falute the emperor, to congratulate Arcadius, and to exprefs their confent to the measure. Among others came this Amphilochus, who, after he had done obeifance very fubmiffively to Theodofius, was going away without taking the least notice of Arcadius, who fat next to his father, arrayed in the royal robes.

Theodofius, furprized at this behaviour, called to Amphilochus, faying, "Do you not know that I have made Arcadius, my fon, emperor with me?" On this Amphilochus went to Arcadius, and putting his hand upon his head, faid "he was a hopeful boy."

Theodofius being irritated at this rude behaviour, ordered the guards to take the bishop to prifon. Amphilochus, after he had gone a little way, turned back, faying, "O Theodofius, you are angry because I gave not your fon the fame honour which I paid to you, fince you have made him equal in majefty to yourfelf: and think you God will be well pleafed that you fuffer the Arians to abufe Chrift, whom he hath fet at his right hand in glory, and will have all men honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." Theodofius, like Felix, trembled, and the edict was reverfed.

WILLIAM WHISTON.

This eccentric but ingenious man, affected a more than ordinary skill in expounding the dark prophecies of fcripture; and by his mathematical knowledge, thought he had discovered the precife time of the commencement of the Millennium, and the calling of the Jews; which period having nicely computed, he himfelf happily outlived, and having reviewed his calculation and corrected his error, outlived this prediction alfo; at length upon another review, he fixed it for the year 1766, which he was not likely to live to fee. About the time of his uttering this prophecy, he offered a small eftate for fale, to a gentleman who was well acquainted with the obftinacy with which he maintained his opinion in thefe matters and having afked the gentleman thirty years purchase for it, he appeared aftonished. Mr. Whifton demanded the reafon of his furprize, as he had afked no more than other people gave? I don't wonder at other people, faid the gentleman, because they know no better ; but I am furprized that you hould ask thirty years purchafe, when you

know

know that in half that time all mens properties will be in common, man's eftate will be worth a groat.

ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES.

and na

This motley junto, which was formed on the ruins of epifcopacy, to eftablish the Prefbyterian difcipline and Calviniftic doctrine, confifted for the most part of ignorant fanaticks. The famous Selden was one of the Jay-members, but he attended their meetings rather to laugh at and puzzle, than to affift them in their labours. Of this we have the following proof. The fapient divines were one day at a great lofs, how to ascertain the exact distance between Jerufalem and Jericho; one faid it was twenty, another ten miles, and at last the conclufion was, that it could not be above feven, for this reason, that fish was brought from Jericho to Jerufalem for fale. Mr. Selden fmiled and faid, "perhaps the fish was falt fif;" and fo they were as much at a lofs as before.

KING CHARLES THE FIRST.

When this excellent and perfecuted prince was at Newcastle, a Scotch minifter preached before him in all the impudent cant of the party to which he belonged; after which he had the bafenefs to call for the fiftyfecond pfalm, which begins thus: "Why doft thou tyrant boast thyself, thy wicked works to praise ?"-This was too much for infulted majesty to bear, and therefore he got up and called for the fifty-fixth pfalm, which begins, "Have mercy Lord, on me I pray, for man would me devour." The congregation were ftruck with the King's circumstances and piety, and fung the pfalm which he had called for.

Fanaticifm, impudence, and rebellion, are in close alliance.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Elements of general Knowledge, introductory to useful Books in the principal Branches of Literature and Science, with Iafts of the most approved Authors. Defigned chiefly for the junior Students in the Universities and the higher Claffes in Schools. By HENRY KETT, B. D. Fellow and Tutor of Trinity College, Oxford. 2 vols. 8vo.

MR.

R. Kett is already well known to the world as a very learned and ingenious divine. The prefent work will confiderably add to his reputation as a very able tutor. It contains "the fubftance of a courfe of lectures which he has occafionally read to his pupils during the last twelve years." And "the fatisfaction which they expreffed on hearing them, has encouraged the author to hope that they will not prove unacceptable to thofe for whofe ufe they are now made public." We are perfectly fatiffied that the author's hope will be abundantly gratified, and we have no fcruple in faying that the public are under great obligations to Mr. Kett for thefe volumes, in which there is not only a perfpicuous view of almoft every branch of knowledge, but likewife fuch rules and directions as must materially affift not only the ftudent, but the tutor. Such a work has long been a defideratum in our language, and we are happy, at laft, to see the chafm fo excellently filled up. The catalogue of books appended to the

fecond

fecond volume is exceedingly judicious, nor do we fee any recommended to which an objection can be made.

The following picture is fo beautiful and fo inftructive, that we cannot refift the inclination of extracting it for the pleasure of our readers.

“A pious, learned, and diligent divine is one of the strongest fupports and brighteft ornaments of his country. In his general intercourfe with mankind, while he maintains his dignity, he is free from formality or morofenefs; enjoys lociety, but avoids its diffipation and its follies, and knows the value of time too well to facrifice any very confiderable fhare of it to mere amufements. To thofe who differ from him in religious opinions, he fhows firmnefs of principle without afperity of conduct, as he is ever mild, gentle, and tolerant. He warms the hearts of his flock, by his fervent and unaffected piety, and he enlightens their understandings, confirms their faith, and invigorates their practice by his judicious and impreffive difcourfes. In his private admonitions, he is diligent in giving advice, and delicate in his manner of doing it; always confidering whether the means he employs of reconciling animofities and reproving vice, are beft calculated to answer the propofed ends. He maintains a proper intercourfe with all claffes of his parishioners, but he is neither arrogant to the poor, nor fervile to the rich. To the indigent and defer ving he is a conftant friend, and protects them from the oppreffion of their fuperiors; he relieves their wants as far as it is in his power, and reconciles them to their laborious and humble ftations, by the most earnest exhortations to patience and contentment. He is the compofer of ftrife, and the foother of outrageous paflions, and no less the temporal than the fpiritual minifter of peace. His tamily is the model for all others, in their attention to private and public duties; he is the general object of esteem to all, except the malignant and the envious; and he has the happiness to obferve, that as he advances in life, the refpectability of his character gives additional efficacy to his inftructions, and both increases the honor, and promotes the diffusion of his holy religion."

The following observations are very striking and important:

"To preferve this spirit of our established inftitutions in its most energetic and active ftate, is more particularly neceffary at a crifis like the prefent, when the PEACE, beneficial as it may prove in many respects to the empire, is likely to expose the young and the inexperienced to new temptations. Britain, peculiarly calcula ted by nature, and highly improved by the induftry of its inhabitants, for widelyextended commerce, will, in confequence of this aufpicious event, obtain new fupplies of wealth, and new means of luxury. The communication with our Gallic neighbours is likely to be free and unreferved; and multitudes of our countrymen will be led by the most eager curiofity to vifit the banks of the Seine. The thoughtlefs votary of pleasure may fimile at the affertion, but the true friend of Britain will be fenfible of its important truth, that more fatal and extenfive mifchief is to be apprehended from the infidious arts of thofe natives of France, with whom our young travellers are most likely to converfe,-from their foft allurements to luxury, their fpecious arguments in favor of their own government, and their zeal to make converts to their new opinion, than we have ever had reafon to fear would refult from the menaces of Gallic vengeance, and the power of Gallic arms. What encouragement to perfevere in the purfuit of virtue, and what approbation of our system of education can we expect to find in a Metropolis, perhaps the most luxurious in the world, where we are told, that, at this moment, a taste for vicious pleasures, a rage for public amufements, a licentious intercourfe between the fexes, and a systematic plan of gaming, prevail in a degree unequalled during the moft licentious periods of the French monarchy? If the recent negociation of the First Conful with the papal power, and the ceremony of restoring the papal religion, were capable of producing an inftantaneous change of opinion among the infidel part of the French nation; -if the fovereign Pontiff could by his fpiritual edicts obliterate the deep stains of apoftafy and atheism, no mifchief would refult from our intercourfe with his purified profelytes: but while moral, as well as natural caufes operate with fure and un

changing

changing effect, the fureft method to escape the confequences of the prevailing contagion, is not to expofe ourselves to its influence. Should however the British youth determine to vifit the palace of Circe, let him, like the prudent Ulyffes, make use of fuitable precautions against the power of the enchantress: he ought to explore her dwelling rather as a hafty fpectator, than a lingering gueft; and not give her time to fafcinate him with her spells, and intoxicate him with her draughts of pleasure.

After giving thefe extracts, we prefume no more need be faid by us in favour of thefe Elements, which may juftly be ftyled a library of useful knowledge.

A Sermon preached in the Chapel of the Magdalen Hofpital, before the Rt. Hon. Jacob Earl of Radnor, Prefident, &c. on Tuesday, May 4th,1802; and published at the Request of the Audience;-by C. P. LAYARD, D. D. F. R. S. F. S. A. Dean of Bristol.-4to. pp. 24.

THE very able and moft exemplary divine who compofed and preached

this fermon, has published it for the benefit of the Magdalen Hofpital. The author, in his advertisement prefixed to the difcourfe, fpeaks of it with that degree of modefty which always accompanies fuperior genius and real learning. It is our part to give its true character, which is that it is an excellent fermon. The text is, St. James, v. 20. "He which converteth the finner from the error of his way, fhall fave a foul from death, and shall hide a multitude of fins." These are the concluding words of St. James's epiftle. The dean of Bristol, after a very appropriate exordium, enters elaborately into the meaning of his text, and establithes, on firm grounds, his point of doctrine. Ordinary preachers content themselves with taking the words of any text, as they occur in our English verfion, and going into a ftring of hortatory periods;-this pack-horfe rate of going, this mill-horfe round fo often trodden by blind leaders of the blind, does not fatisfy the dean of Bristol. He fets out like a fcholar, and chufes a path for himself, not an out-of-the-way path;-yet not fuch a one as every body could find out, and purfue, without lofing himself in intricacies, or puzzling those who attend him in his career.

He fhews us what is meant by "the error of the finner's way;"- and combats fuccefsfully that diftich of Mr. Pope which he unwarily penned; and the fafcinating verfification of which, added to "the fame of the poet," has procured to it a kind of popular celebrity, which too often resembles univerfal approbation ;

"For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight,

His can't be wrong, whofe life is in the right."

The dean argues, that "no doctrine was ever more falfe or mischievous than this, that a man may think erroneously, and yet act correctly." He concludes that the error of the finner's way, mentioned in the text, relates to conduct, as well as to opinions."

He takes the Greek word here tranflated foul (Tux,) in its most extended acceptation ;" and thence appreciates the "value of an human foul."

He then confiders what is intended by the expreffion-" fhall hide a multitude of fins ;"-and contends, unanfwerably in our opinion, that the fins fo hidden, or covered, are "the converter's own fins." He fupports this interpretation by the authority of that moft accomplished divine BP. ATTERBURY

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