In fhort, whoever examines the wants of his own heart, and the appropriated affistance which the gospel furnishes, will find them to be two tallies, which exactly correfpond -an internal evidence, ftronger perhaps than any other, of the truth of revelation. This is the religion with which the ingenuous hearts of youth fhould be warmed, and by which their spirits, while pliant, fhould be directed. This will afford a "lamp to their paths," ftronger, steadier, brighter than the feeble and uncertain glimmer of a cold and comfortless phi lofophy. Religion of the Fashionable World.* * This valuable little work was written by Mifs Hannah More, who has been long celebrated in the literary world for her ingenious publications. She is a native of Bristol in England. From her earlieft years, her time has been devoted to the improvement of her mind; and fhe has, with much industry, attained the Latin, French, Italian, and Spanish languages, so as to converse and write poetry in each with facility. To which fhe added great knowledge in the Belles Lettres, Natural Philosophy, Mathematics, History, Metaphysics, and Divinity; and nearly an univerfal acquaintance with authors on all these subjects. Respecting her character, she is not only strictly moral, but truly pious; and in the cause of religion and fociety, her labours are original and indefatigable. The industrious poor are at once enlightened by her inftructions, and relieved by her bounty. She was one of the first concerned in the establishment of the Cheap Repofitory, and has been particularly affifting in that work, by her excellent productions. Her school, which she shares with her fifters, is of the highest reputation, and many families of rank received their education there. She is honoured with the friendship of many of the nobility, and almost every literary character in the kingdom, It is faid, she discov THE SUBJECT CONTINUED. THERE are many people, who affect to set up moral ity against religion; and who, after having enlarged their own ideas of virtue, by the fublime precepts that are contained in the New Teftament, affert, that the pale planet, which they have decked in borrowed splendour, would emit fufficient light to answer all our wants, even if the radiant fun of revelation was extinguifhed. The fituation of the pagan world at the coming of Chrift, proves how few difcoveries human nature was able to make in what was most likely to promote the general welfare of fociety. Our Lord appeared in the Auguftan age, which concentrated all the learning of preceding times, and when philofophy had tried its utmoft to reform erroneous principles, and to introduce juft ideas of moral obligation. Many of the horrid enormities, which were then fan&tioned, not only by general practice, but by public inftitutions, are better buried in oblivion. I will only mention two crimes, which most of the Romans eftcemed meritorious, and marks of a noble character, felf murder, and the thirst of vengeance. Should it be asked, whether the pure and holy religion, which exprefsly forbids these fatal causes of diftrefs and difcord, has fucceeded in eradicating them out of chriftian countries? I anfwer, that it is ever to be lamented, that our theory and our conduct fo little correfpond; but if the most awful motives that can be offered to our ers far more wit and genius in her converfation, than in her writings. The compiler has partly taken this Brief account of Mifs More from a letter, written by an English gentleman to his friend, dated February 3d, 1789. confideration, will not prevent proud, rebellious man from lifting up his hand against his own life, or that of his fellow creature, in a private quarrel, will a sense of propriety, with regard to public good, check the self murderer or the duelift, when his bofom boils with the frenzy of rage, madness, or despair? Public opinion unhappily urges him to the dreadful act; for it induces the thoughtless many to point with derifion at the ruined gamefter, at the broken fpeculator, and at the coward. If the thought of rufhing uncalled into the prefence of an awful judge, recent from an act of atrocious rebellion, will not appal the criminal, who meditates on fuch awful expedients, what has morality to hope from her fyftem of beauty and propriety? Can fhe convince the man, whom want makes defperate, that poverty is noble? Can fhe teach indignant pride, or fullen hatred, that the approbation of our own hearts is a fure defence againft undeserved contumely? She has no motives to urge attention, no rewards to ftimulaté an exertion fo laborious as that of fubduing ourselves. Her language is, "Exift in want, rather than brave annihilation; be difgraced and miferable, rather than be nothing. It is most probable that the present scene is your all. The world will fhun you, there is no recompence for patience; weaknefs is thought to be despicable; but I can prove that patience and meekness are virtues; therefore practise them. In the folitary corner, in which you hide your forrows, you will have the fatisfaction of thinking that you do right during the few remaining years of your exiftence. Perhaps your reputation may be traduced after you are dead; perhaps the true reafons of your conduct may then be ascertained, and pofterity may juftify and admire you ; but if you fink into nothing, this praise or cenfure will be alike indifferent." Such are the only diffuafives that morality can urge, to turn the fuicide from his dreadful purpose. For, if the affirms the certainty of another life, or urges the rewards which fuffering innocence may there hope to enjoy, fhe fteals the arguments of that celestial advocate, whofe office he arrogantly claims. It is the peculiar occupation of religion to fuccour and confole the unfortunate. In the most calamitous, afflicting fituation, the christian will not dare to offend an omnifcient, all powerful God, who can either punish or reward him throughout eternity; who can infinitely overbalance the temporary chastisements which it is good for him to endure, or pursue his rebellious contumacy through every period of an eternal exiftence. How muft the mind of the true believer be foothed, while fuffering under the pangs of oppreffion and calumny, by confidering that God will avenge his caufe, and that his innocence shall one day be proclaimed before men and angels. Weft's Letters to a Young Man on his Mrs. Weft, from whom the above extract is taken, has diftinguished herself in the literary world, and enlifted her talents under the banners of morality and religion. SECTION XI. The Sublime Nature of the Future Rewards, which are promifed to Chriftians, evinces the Divine Original of Revealed Religion. EVERY religion promises to virtue eternal rewards in another life; but the christian religion is the only one, which has promised to man an happiness worthy of an immortal and fufceptible foul. The form of man's body, of that mortal spoil, which he must one day quit, is certainly not that which distinguishes him from animals; therefore it is evidently a falfe religion, which only promises him for recompence, after this life, the pleasures of the fenfes. According to this fingle reflection, I discover eafily in Mahomet an impoftor, who is equally ignorant of the dignity of man, and of the happinefs which is proper for him. Other impoftors have promised, to grofs and ferocious people, that they should enjoy after death the cruel pleasure of exercifing upon their enemies an eternal vengeance. In the elyfian fields of the pagans, the happy shades, forever deprived of paffions and defires, walked in groves perpetually verdant, and amufed themselves in peace. This is the monotonous defcription of foft leifure and repofe, and not of felicity. It is upon earth that man ought to feek for repofe, inftead of happiness, which he cannot find there; it is upon earth that man ought to moderate his defires, becaufe |