whom I delight in praising more than David Garrick-in his house I made my entrance into life; and a better conducted house I never saw.—I never could agree in the latter part of the sentiment, 'On the stage he was natural, simple, affecting; It was only that when he was off, he was acting ;' 6 and only regret, that his species of acting is not more practised by the world at large. I have never been to a play since his death-I could not bear it.' She told me that it was nine years since she was down stairs; but I am like Alexander Selkirk,' she added, laughing, monarch of all I survey-every tree on this little domain was planted by my own hands, or under my special direction.' I bade her adieu with regret; for I never had the good fortune to meet with so perfect a relic of a well-spent life. The spirit within was as warm and cheerful, as if the blood of eighteen, instead of eighty, circulated in her veins. She is, indeed, a woman who has lived to good purpose." Among the diversified publications of this highly talented lady, although several may be more valuable, not one has been more popular, or obtained a more extensive circulation, than "Colebs in search of a Wife." The title is attractive, and the subject captivating, especially to young persons. In several parts of this work there is a happy vein of sarcasm, of which the following may be considered as a keen and delicate specimen. Colebs is dining with a widower who has two daughters, where, he remarks, "I could not help observing, that many of the dishes were out of season, ill dressed, and ill chosen. I recollected I had lately read in a most respectable periodical work, a paper, which insisted that nothing tended to make ladies so useless and inefficient in the mênage, as the study of the dead languages. I jumped to the conclusion, and was in an instant persuaded that my young hostesses must be perfect mistresses of Latin; but the tout ensemble was so ill arranged, as to induce me to give them full credit for Greek also. Turning suddenly to the eldest lady, I asked her at once if she did not think Virgil the finest poet in the world? She started, and said, she had never heard of the person I mentioned, but that she had read Tears of Sensibility, and Rosa Matilda, and Sympathy of Souls, and Too Civil by Half, and the Sorrows of Werter, the Stranger, and the Orphans of Snowden.' Yes, Sir,' rejoined the younger sister, who did not rise to so high a pitch of literature, and we have read Perfidy Punished, and Jemmy and Jenny Jessamy, the Fortunate Footman, and the Illustrious Chambermaid.'" We must not, however, suppose that satire is the prevailing characteristic in Cœlebs. It contains very many important truths, which no fashions can alter, no systems of education efface. They have a strong bearing on the instruction that should be imparted to the female mind; while the advantages of culture, and the disadvantages of neglect, are developed in the consequences that might naturally be expected to follow. In religious sentiment, Mrs. Hannah More is decidedly evangelical, and to the established church she has uniformly adhered. Her zeal, liberality, and active exertions to do good, have, however, exposed her to some severe animadversions from the lukewarm and inanimate of her own church. But it is pleasing to observe, that the crucible of controversy has only added new lustre to her character and name. During several years past, this venerable lady has taken up her abode at Clifton, in the delightful suburbs of Bristol. But age and infirmity have so imprisoned her, that she has long been secluded from society, in which she formerly shone as one of its brightest ornaments. Thus retired from the world, with a mind cheerful and serene, she waits with patience, till that important change come, which shall transmit her happy spirit into the regions of immortality. The following list contains the titles of the principal publications which Mrs. Hannah More has sent into the world. The Search after Happiness; Drama.-Sir Eldred of the Bower, and Legendary Tales.-The Inflexible Captive; Tragedy.-Percy; Tragedy.— Ode to Dragon, Poems, &c.-Fatal Falsehood; Tragedy.-Sacred Dramas. -Sensibility. The Bas-Blue. -The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain. Thoughts on the Importance of the Manners of the Great to general Society.-Bonner's Ghost.-The Slave Trade.-An Estimate of the Religion of the Fashionable World.-Remarks on the Speech of M. Dupont.Village Politics.-Stories for Persons of the Middle Ranks, and Tales for the Common People.-Strictures on the Modern System of Female Education.-Hints towards forming the Character of a Young Princess.-Cœlebs in search of a Wife; a Novel.-Practical Piety.-And many other Tracts and Essays, either separately, or in periodical publications. ON THE INCARNATION. TRANSLATED FROM "LE SEMEUR," BY W. K. T. THE apparently greatest objection which reason has advanced against the dogma, or rather the fact of redemption, is, the incomprehensibility of this mystery of revelation; but to us it certainly appears very unjust to tax the gospel with such an accusation, when it has itself announced the manifestation of God in the flesh, as a mystery totally inaccessible by reason. Had it taught us to consider this doctrine as a simple truth, quite natural, and what the human mind was readily capable of understanding, and analyzing; then, indeed, might we justly reproach it with incomprehensibility; but as it has represented it as a great mystery, declared in a thousand ways that it is infinitely above the comprehension of reason, and that even reason itself, in its actual state of error and darkness, is incapable of understanding any thing which is not limited to its own peculiar field of vision; we have no cause to be offended with a partial obscurity, which the gospel itself avows, and which it does not even pretend that man can ever completely dissipate. Besides, I ask, why attempt to extort from religion, proofs and evidences of which it is not susceptible? Each order of science establishes itself upon its own proper basis, proves its opinions in its own manner, and furnishes particular arguments useful only to itself, which, from their nature are incapable of being employed in the domains of other sciences. Thus, mathematics support themselves with rigorous demonstrations; history seeks testimony; morality and religion speak to sentiments, and address themselves to the conscience. Is it not then unreasonable and unjust to imagine that the science of salvation, abdi. cating its nature, should borrow from the exact sciences their calculations and demonstrations, and make itself master of philosophy? As well might a professor of mathematics be expected to prove the elements of Euclid by sentiment; nor would there be more absurdity in the latter than in the former. We can, we think, pretty clearly prove, with good evidence, that in the few things mankind generally believe, they are guided rather by their faith and sentiment, than by their reason; and that, what they do know of beings or objects surrounding them, and to which they find themselves in a measure related, is less of their essence, or intrinsic nature, than of their affinity to themselves. What part has reason, pray, with friendship, with the manner in which those affections that we cherish towards our relatives and friends, are born and developed, and in general for the various sympathies which we feel for such and such of our fellowcreatures? What part has reason in most of our historical credences? What part has it in the actions and circumstances of our habitual life? You respire every moment the air, which, entering your lungs, vivifies and reinvigorates the mass of blood circulating through your veins, the privation of which would cause the instantaneous cessation of your animal life; but has it ever entered into your thoughts to seek the analysis of that atmosphere, and separate its component parts? You know you cannot live without it, and yet you are ignorant of the primitive elements and constituents of this body; or, even supposing that by the study of chemistry you know something; you must admit it is not your knowledge of this compound which causes you to live; but a necessity which your physical organization has for it, founded upon a connexion existing between the two. It is the use you make of the organs of respiration in inspiring and expiring this air, which causes you to enjoy the blessing of lifeand not a knowledge of their functions. Again, you know that fire, so long as you remain at a proper distance, imparts a pleasant sensation of warmth, grateful to the feelings; but approach too near, the sensation of comfort is changed to pain, and you are burned: now all this you believe, without penetrating into the analysis, or reasoning on the nature, of fire. Thus, then, in these instances, as well as in many others which might be adduced, you see and believe only by effect, and not through cause. The same is it with the mysteries of the gospel, and more particularly with that of the incarnation. It is impossible for us to dive into its nature, but its effects upon our souls we may easily learn. The cause of the mystery is hidden from us: and what would our knowledge avail us? This is the obscure side of the fact, nor are we permitted to understand it; it belongs essentially to the nature of the infinite and incomprehensible Being, who through this mystery reveals himself to us. But the effect is readily accessible by our reason, and should stimulate and excite our knowledge. This is the bright side, which we are graciously allowed to consider, and on which the Bible calls so loudly for our attention. In a word: it does not belong to us to judge of the way which God in his eternal wisdom has thought fit to employ for our salvation; but it is our duty to acknowledge the necessity of that way, and use our best endeavours to lead our souls into it. Now, it is on this effect of the mystery, this necessity for redemption, the need which you ought to feel of this work of grace, and the influence it can exercise on your regeneration and eternal happiness, that I wish to offer a few reflections. You are sinners. This truth I admit as fact, and shall not waste time in endeavouring to prove it; your conscience and daily experience can tell you more of this than all my words. You have violated the law of a just and holy God, and, as transgressors, deserve the condemnation pronounced by that law, which can no more change than God himself. Offenders-then you need a pardon, which will set your consciences at peace, and encourage you against the terrible consequence of your sins. The slaves of evil-you need liberty, and a frame of mind capable of appreciating happiness, which is impossible without holiness. Now, search throughout creation a being sufficiently good, powerful, or perfect, to work out your deliverance and reconciliation. Ascend up to the skies, descend into the abysses, interrogate the past, the present, and the future, call loudly on your liberator, address yourselves to even the most perfect work of God's hands; and this will be their answer, an answer indeed extremely reasonable,-"I possess nothing but what I have received; my existence is a borrowed one, as is that of all created beings; if I have persevered in obedience, I owe it to my God, his law has commanded me, and his grace alone has supported me. To answer but for one creature before eternal justice, to expiate the sins of one sole being, is impossible, since I shall deprive myself of that justice without which I cannot subsist before the holy of holies. How then am I capable of satisfying the number of sinners who may make the same request? To remit the punishment due to transgressors is a prerogative belonging only to the sovereign legislator. On my part it would be temerity, crime, sacrilege, abominable pride, worthy the curse of my God, to think that, in virtue of a limited and finite being as I am, living but by grace, that God should consent to relax his immutable justice, and forgive." This answer, supposed from the most perfect intelligence the Lord has called into existence, confirms the first reason in advance, why the Saviour of our souls should be God, and not a creature. But pardon is only one portion of the work of salvation; regeneration, the result of pardon, is indispensably necessary to secure your safety. Without it, vain will be your knowledge of the means whereby you can remove the condemnation which your sins have merited; if your heart is not changed, you cannot hope for salvation, for God is love; heaven is the abode of holiness, the society of the heavenly kingdom is composed of just persons made perfect, the law which governs this celestial citadel is divine love. Reason itself ac cords with the Bible in proclaiming this solemn truth, "Without holiness no man shall see God." Now, what work is this, if not the changing of the heart? It proposes substituting the love of God for the love of the world, removing terrestrial for spiritual affections--where pride reigned, to induce humility-to inspire love for holiness, and hatred for evil, to dispel death by life, egotism by charity, and build upon the ruins of sin the stable edifice of faith, hope, and love. This moral regeneration, which is nothing less than a new creation, is much more difficult (if we may speak of difficulties where God is interested) than the first creation. God had but to say, "Let there be light," and there was light; "let the world appear," and the world walked brilliant in glory from the depths of its nothingness. Whilst in the second creation, which is regeneration, man struggles with his God; opposes incredible resistance to the action of his grace; to his love he answers but with coldness, to his promises with incredulity, to his appeals with levity, and to his summons to renounce all idols, but by a new attachment to them. If God, then, in the first creation, entrusted no one but himself with the care of calling the world into existence, how much less will he confide to any other arm,save his own all-powerful one, the mighty work of restoring lost man, abandoned to his sins! This then is our second reason why the Saviour of our souls should be God, and not a creature. But this is not all; the work of sanctification induces our perseverance, and renders necessary, every instant of our life, the help of Heaven. Weak as we are, we need fortification against the evils which are perpetually warring against our souls; we require guiding through our temptations, support in our conflicts, relief in our disasters, consolation in our sorrows, encouragement in our endeavours to be emancipated from the terrors of judgment, and rendered triumphant on the death-bed. Now, to whom but God, to a God as infinite in power as he is in goodness, could we confide with security affairs of such great interest? And were we not assured that the Saviour of our souls possessed omniscience to know even our smallest wants, omnipresence to listen to each of our prayers, even our most secret sighs, and omnipotence to answer all our supplications, guard and accompany us through every trial, defend us from our enemies, and deliver us from all evil; where would be our peace, and what hope could we have? A third reason, then, why the Saviour of our souls should be God, and not a creature. Lastly, consider that redeemed and glorified creatures owe to their divine liberator infinite gratitude, boundless love, perfect confidence, entire obedience, and absolute submission, fealty, adoration; for the gift of salvation is infinitely greater than that of existence, in as much as life without salvation is nothing more than eternal misery. He, then, who saves does more than he who creates, and consequently merits more. Or, suppose God had resigned to some other hand, and not performed himself the noble work of our redemption, then would he be legalizing and sanctioning idolatry, in consenting that a being of his own creation should receive the worship due only to himself; and you yourselves, objects of infinite mercy, in what perplexity would you not be placed, when on the one hand you saw the imperious necessity of rendering to your Redeemer love for love, and life for life; whilst, on the other, you feared, in giving utterance to your sentiments of gratitude, rendering yourselves criminal and impious in the eyes of your Creator, and thus drawing down upon yourselves his just displeasure? This is our fourth and last reason why the Saviour of our souls should be God, and not a creature. In like manner could we prove that salvation is impossible, but by God; also are there reasons, why this God and Saviour should, to accomplish the grand scheme of redemption, assume humanity, and become man for the word of God has not only said, that the mystery of holiness is great, because God has taken upon himself the salvation of man, but also, that this salvation is operated by God manifested in the flesh. Now, let us endeavour to exemplify this as clearly as we can. Who is the sinner? Man. Who needs reconciliation with God? Man. By whom should the expiation or satisfaction required by the law be accomplished? By man. The law of God descending from heaven to earth, charged with a message of grace and mercy to sinners, had, doubtless, no necessity for appearing otherwise than as assuming human nature; but then the obedience he owed to the offended law, the death he was about to suffer, the reconciliation he wished to procure, would not have brought about the salvation of man, but of all other creatures rather; for man having sinned, it is man who deserves punishment, it is in man and for man that the expiation is needed. So that, while, on the one hand, those mercies which are wanting in the man-Jesus are found in the infinite mercies of the God-Jesus, and on the other the ininite mercies of the God-Jesus, to be at all profitable to man, must be acquired through the medium of the humanity of the Saviour. Thus it is that the scriptures say, "He took not upon himself the nature of angels, but of the posterity of Abraham." This God in flesh is the God our souls need, to re-assure and inspire us with confidence. The hidden God inhabiting an inaccessible luminary, enveloped in the glory of his majesty and the terrors of his justice, troubles and alarms us, we dare not presume to approach him; an immeasurable abyss, deep as the depth of all our sins, separates us, which is impossible for us to overcome. But the Word incarnate, the eternal Son of the Father, becomes man, and this immense abyss is closed. God becomes visible, is rendered accessible to man; man reconciled, no longer fears his presence; he approaches him no more with diffidence and timidity, but with joy: "He who hath seen me (said Jesus) hath seen my Father." Moreover, without this incarnation, I cannot understand a most important part of the work of the resurrection of the body. To withdraw man from the abyss into which he is plunged, and conduct him into glory, he needs a mental vision, of which he is totally ignorant-to be given the direction he requires, the obstacles to be encountered on his road signalized, to be taught how to avoid these dangers, his eyes to sparkle with the brilliancy of a model of holiness, and to be shown a bright example of divine life, entirely devoted to the service of the Creator. But to give him all these things requires entering into close affinity with him, to speak to him in a language he understands, to preach to him virtue associated with his nature, and duties compatible with his condition on this earth. Now, if the Son of God had not lived amongst men, the gospel would never have been promulgated, the life of Christ would never have been known, or the faithful reconciled to God, and made inheritors of the celestial kingdom; lost in the labyrinth of this world, isolated and fatherless would they have been, having no one to address, no one to look to for support and encouragement in their terrestrial pilgrimage. Need then they have of a celestial guide, a divine model; and this guide, this model, is furnished to them in the Son of God becoming man. What grievances, what miseries of all kinds, reign in this world; and on these the curse of sin rests! From the first cries of an infant just brought into existence, to the last agonies of death, what pains !-To b these griefs to the foot of the throne o God who knows them by his omniscien is doubtless a great alleviation; but to pla them in the bosom of a Saviour, who kno them by experience, is it not an immens an ineffable consolation? Ah! indeed, all our afflictions, there is not one whi Christ has not tasted: he has felt the en barrassment of poverty; endured the pai of famine, thirst, and fatigue; has bee abandoned and betrayed by his most int mate friends; injured, persecuted, and ca lumniated by his enemies; knew the poig nant pain of separation, and has passed through the agonies of death: then will approach him with confidence, since he is able to commiserate my infirmities. And now, reader, do you comprehend why it is necessary that the Saviour of mankind should be truly God and man, man and God united ?-that, had he been but the one or the other, he could not have accomplished the grand work of redemption. This then is the luminous side of the mystery-and here confess, O, you credulous! that you have as much reason for believing, as you could wish to have in any other parallel matter: ask me not for more; the word of God teaches no more; but remember that it is less by the spirit or faculty of criticism or reasoning, than by the heart or by love, that we should seek to sound the mysteries of christianity: no! mysteries of love demand to be embraced but by love. If you attempt their study with your reasoning faculties only, you will then indeed be bewildered and disappointed; but if before your contemplation you consult the voice of your conscience, and listen to the dictates of your heart, then will your sight and understanding be increased, and you will behold the resplendent glory of that God who is both justice and holiness. Southwark, Nov. 10, 1832. ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DECA- for therein do I delight," Psa. cxix. 35. THE natural sagacity of man, unaided by divine inspiration, never could have succeeded in framing a code of laws so short, yet so comprehensive, so simple, yet so elaborate, so laconic, yet so widely applicable, as that exhibited to our admiration by the decalogue. But " wonder ceases, though admiration never can, when we |