THE one essential characteristic of the material man is life, and the one essential characteristic of the moral man is religion. As in the physical system there are two sources of vitality-the heart and the brain, so in the spiritual system there are two sources of piety-the intellect and the feelings. As in the former both must exist, so in the latter. As in the one both must be distinct, so also in the other.

refer it to a distinct and independent principle. I may add, that when I met my companion on the following morning, he asked me what opinion I held of the merits of the two days' discussion. I replied that either was a good theory as theories went, but that the truth would probably be found in both joined together.

"True," replied he, " and that proves my position." I have wandered from my purpose, which was to remark that the true cause of the final corruption of every pure religion, and the original fault of every impure creed, has been joining with the divine and systematic portions of the belief-matter which, though a part of the whole scheme of religion, were yet no part of the assured creed, being, in fact, implied results from it, or collateral connections with it, rather than a definite element of the original principle. I have no intention to develop this idea in all its applications; that belongs to a work which yet remains to be written by some independent thinker, and which when written, will be the most valuable addition to

During one of the most oppressive summers which I ever remember to have felt in Persia, I left Bacdat, which was then my residence, to æstuate in the delicious village of Soora, a place which may or may not be on the maps, about five hours north of the city. Whatever part the love-crowning roses and the "rosy-crowned loves" of the place might have had in carrying me there, the pleasure of enjoying the society of decidedly the most intelligent man I ever met with, constituted a large share of the inducement. Our cottages were in two vallies, on the opposite sides of a respectable hill, and as to accomplish the passage in the middle of the day was a thing impos-human knowledge which it has received since the sible, (a bête de mot, which is good Persian, if it is not French,) we paid each other alternate visits every morning, measuring them as the pendulum of the world oscillates by the day. One morning, as I walk-viction, and the propriety of keeping them asunder in ed down his side of the hill, I saw him sitting by a fountain before his door: "Mirkaun !" cried I," what is your opinion of the origin of evil?"

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time of Bacon-the History of Religion. I am only wishing to indicate the effect of the pagan and Roman Catholic religions, of incorporating feeling with con

the modern Protestant systems. In Greece, religion was the natural offspring of feeling; in the elder Christian world, feeling was the adopted issue of reli

Separation," answered he, and he monologized tillgion; the two matters are now separate systems, for sunset in proof of his position that all moral errors the most part, and should be so entirely. arose from the separation of things which ought to be united.

The next day when he called on me, he said, as soon as he came within speaking distance, "L., what is your opinion of the origin of evil?"

"Union," answered I; and employed the day in demonstrating that all error was occasioned by the union of principles which ought to be kept separate. I am surprised, by the by, that those who have sought for the first germ and cause of evil in the universe, have not rather looked for it in the confusion, division, or misapplication of good, than attempted to

K

The delicate Grecian placed by nature in the land of beauty's chosen seat, amid all tender and impressive influences, felt as the child of nature needs must feel when every breeze that blew was instinct with delight. There is in all sentiment something sacred; and the Greek, following the mild impulse of natural. inclination, deified the whole system of his feelings, and the wondrous mythology of his country was created. Of a religion,thus fashioned, many were the advantages. The earth was a consecrated pantheon; and every moving, every resting thing, a caryatic or columnar support of the divine entablature. Wherever

he looked were altars—wherever he listened was the | fell, like England's national debt, on posterity. The chant of praise-wherever he tended, spread a chan-progress of the matter was in this wise: Religion, as cellated ground. In every spot was seen a God, or the it came from God, was not an affair that could whistle garments of a God; mementoes of adoration were through the key holy of a nursery, or be made the every where abounding. From off the morning hills umpire of a market-house dispute; many acts must the sheeted mists arose with silent pomp of homage; therefore be done apart from all religious consideraand with a gentle burst of holy joy the bubbling foun- tion, else religion becomes degraded that which is tain bounded to the earth. The commonest act of done beyond the eye of piety soon becomes a sin, life was worship; for over all a deity held sway, and and the practice of sinning soon makes men sinful; aureoled all with piety. It was the peculiar blessing to obviate this result, the saints were created to be of this creed that there was nothing, and there were representatives* sub modo of the Lord, to keep alive none, beneath religion; the lowliest feeling had its a sense of the divine existence and obligation, and warder in the skies; and the chosen representative of bear the truth to many places where the master in every sentiment being but an exalted man, always re- person would not venture without compromising his tained a sympathy with humanity. When the timorous dignity; for the rosary might be carried into a corner mariner called upon the name of Neptune, or gazing when the cross would stick fast in the door. Again, on the lowering sky, sighed for the aid of the storm- there are constantly occurring in life a lage number assauging brothers, he felt that his hopes were sus-of little miracles, and a still larger number of false pended from them by the chain of a common nature. stories of them; if these be referred to chance, the When the warrior, about to loose the dart, or lanch notion of a constant providence is lost; if they be asthe spear, cried to "the God of the Silver Bow," he signed to the intervention of the Almighty, omnipoknew that while his patron had the power of an tence is degraded. By the happy insertion of saints Olympian, he had the feelings of an honest brother of into the chain of agents, the good is secured and the the chase; the Christian would have trembled at the evil prevented,-religion is made " familiar," but profanity of such a prayer. But while this religion deity by "no means vulgar." All hands shared the secured more general and constant acknowledgment of advantage. Such were some of the motives that led God, it brought many great and fatal evils, for as Moses the framers of the wisest system that the earth has in the presence of his God shone celestial, so did the ever witnessed to this wonderful device, and contribrightness of those deities always among men, fade buted to make the papal church, what it has always into human pallor, and they descended in sanctity as appeared to those who observed without prejudice, they did in station. The mythology ever became an and thought without passion-the very sublimest moinstrument of evil; for as religion was the offspring, nument of human ingenuity that ever existed. The it soon became the slave, of passion; and the feeling evils of this invention were doubtless foreseen and which had wrought, could warp, divinity. Whatever despised. Those evils I need not dwell upon-every inclination prompted or indolence invited, imagination thing was brought into the bosom of religion,-poliwas at hand to stamp with the approbation of some tics, domestic arrangements, science, war, and "quiedivine example; "and conscience, drunk as with quid agunt homines," was the concern of the priestwine, could sanctify to them all bloody, all abomina-hood; till the ark of the Christian covenant became ble things." Thus was piety, like the Britons, destroy-like Noah's, a mere menagerie, in which when hued by its allies, and the dome of religion, like the fane of Errool, fell by the weight of its own pillars.

man concerns, like the beasts, came in at the doors, purity, like the dove, went out at the window. The master's prediction became history; his mustard-seed had grown into a tree, and birds, of which most were obscoeni aves," found shelter in its branches. The

As when the thousand stars of night rush out, the single power of the sun comes on, so did the Christian Lord reveal his awful splendor as the heathen gods passed away. Under the new faith, and natu-spiritual church had for its type the monasteries of rally distinct from it, feelings of course arose, and the time, in which men ate, drank, and slept, and were all baptized into the church. But it was soon performed all the business of life within the conseperceived that these feelings had no sympathy with crated walls. The temple became utterly defiled, heaven, when heaven was filled by the exclusive ter- and the church fell into a state which called forth the rors of Jehovah, and that they could no more cling to sorrow and scorn of all good men. I think that I am the naked doctrine of "GOD over all, always, and in right in finding the germ of all these abominations in all places," than the myrtle could entwine itself the original error of introducing into Christianity afabout the red-hot thunderbolt. They therefore invented the demi-divinity of the virgin, as a rock on which to hang, screened from the brilliance of almighty power, and proceeded, like sagacious jewellers, to set their God in saints. It has been the fashion of late years to class the saint system of the papal church among the most conspicuous monuments of human folly; but folly was not the fault of the Romish hierarchy; the "wisdom of the serpent" did nothing unwisely. They who made the calendar were wise for their own generation: the evils of it ple.

* I remember a fable, I think in Athenæus, of Jupiter stopping one night at the house of a peasant, with a couple of thunderbolts on his back. The cottager, fearing that the bolts might set his house on fire, refused to admit the thunderer unless he left his load in the yard; this was impossible, for the deity and his power were "one and inseparable," and the poor god was obliged to sleep under a shed. The saints of Christianity were so made as to be gods in all respects, only that they did not carry thunderbolts, and were therefore admitted as a much safer sort of peo

fairs which did not belong to it, of extending religion | Christian men, when we renew within us the mood much too far in its influence, and of thinking that they exhibit; but let us read them to keep our sym. feeling must be consecrated to the Lord. When you pathies tender, our moral perceptions delicate, our cut blocks with a razor, the razor it is which suf- hearts free and open, our hopes fresh and springing, and our whole nature elevated, pure, and unselfish. When this is done, then let us go to prayer.

THE MAN-MULE.

A LEGEND O F GALLICIA.

Felicia was perverse enough to follow her example, and oppose her choice, which was an offence she thought demanding at least the interposition of the legislature.

It is strange by what kind of mental anamorphosis things appear irregular and irreconcilable regarded from different points. Alberto and his wife had experienced in their youthful attachment the wrongs of parental tyranny to a very pitiable extent, but having settled in their own minds, and to their own satisfaction, that the principals in the oppression were a pair of merciless and ferocious monsters in human form, they instantly set about vexing and thwarting them in all directions, and defied them finally by linking themselves in the bonds of disobedient love. But now every thing was changed. They had discovered that youthful people have no right to think for themselves; that old heads were better than young; that marriages of passion are marriages of pain; that im

ALBERTO PIOLANOS (a person of excellent qualities, | means disposed to question, but it so happened that and of matchless skill in the art of causing all landed property in his possession to produce an abundance of corn and such matters, and of such curious ingenuity in vine-dressing, that a very Mahometan might have lifted up his hands and blessed the goodly fruit that clustered on the branches), Alberto was known, far and wide, as the proprietor of the prettiest wife, and the reputed father of the prettiest daughter, in all Gallicia. Some years, however, had passed over the earth since Dame Blanche was in her bloom, and although it was reported by certain middle-aged personages, who, some twenty years before, might have considered themselves not quite excluded from the hope of attracting her attention, that the fair-faced matron at one time enjoyed the most sylph-like figure, the softest waist, the minutest ankle, and the roundest arm they ever saw, yet it is our duty to confess that considerable change was observable in all respects, and that a good-natured plump presentment of a dame of forty, with a pair of contented cheeks, small laugh-provement of condition is the chief object of weding eyes, and a little double-chin, was all the beauty discernible in the "gude wife" Blanche. She, notwithstanding, was far from forgetful of her former celebrity, and would often tell of the various offers she had received from great folks, and was very eloquent on the fact of having once danced with a prince of the blood who was rude enough to accompany his condescension with a kiss. Alberto listened to these narrations with inward satisfaction, and stretched out his limbs, and smoothed his chin, with the air of one not altogether remiss in the duty of thinking well of himself." But Alberto had the advantage of them all, you see," was generally the conclusion of his wife's history, and another smooth of the chin attest-nominated by her father, and seconded by Mistress ed Alberto's concurrence in that observation.

The advantage above alluded to was succeeded by the production of a daughter, who soon threatened a successful rivalry to her mother's charms. In commemoration of the happiness resulting from her birth, she was named Felicia, and at the expiration of eighteen years it was generally admitted, by way of compromising all hostile opinions, "that she took marvellously after her mother." This resemblance was in no degree impaired by any essential difference in matters of the heart, for as the mother, according to her own account, rejected numerous desirable alliances, and answered negatively to many beneficial poppings of the question, so her daughter exhibited the strongest repugnance to any interference on that delicate point, and manifested, at proper seasons, an earnest disposition to consult her own feelings and inclinations in all affairs of that character. The propriety of her own conduct, Dame Blanche was by no

lock; that fathers and mothers are the best judges of what is proper for their children; and that nothing can be more unpardonable than for sons and daughters to have a will of their own. All this might be very proper, were it not for the existence of an old saying, which sets forth-" that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander;" a sentiment strictly and philosophically in unison with our own opinion, and very much assimilating with common sense.

The end of all this is to show that, as refers to the disposal of donna Felicia, things went on very indifferently in the family of Alberto Piolanos. The young lady strongly protested against the candidate

Blanche, and petitioned vehemently against the return of any such representative of her affections. There was a whisper of a very warm canvass proceeding in behalf of another party, who was said to command, as far as could be determined, the unanimous suffrages of that busy constituency which rages and wars within a woman's breast. The fact is, every thing was at sixes and sevens on this head. Alberto would have nobody but a certain squire in the neighborhood, whose name was Teophilo, and whose pretensions to preference were chiefly founded upon a tolerably fine person, a gallant mien, sharp wits, and a high sense of pacific honor; which, it will be allowed, were qualifications not fairly endangered by the concurrent possession of some hundreds of acres, and a few eligible and productive farms, of which Alberto's happened to be one. Whatever malice and vindictive spite might suggest, we are not one of the number who are ever looking on the dark side of men's

reputations, and are happy to say that Alberto was of the same nature, for he derided the petty malignity of those who would allow a prejudice to exist against Teophilo because he was so well to do in the world, and scorned the meanness of permitting a fine house, fair grounds, and an adequate exchequer, to operate against the happiness of a young man who had no other failings. The virtues of the youth, indeed, were only less obvious than the ample sufficiency of his ways and means," and wherefore not cherish those virtues, and assist to carry off some portion of his humiliating moidores ?

So urged the humane Alberto, and so insisted Mistress Blanche for hours together, even when slumber had sealed up the eyes of all the others of the house. hold, and none but her own and those of her loving spouse were "wide awake" to the moonbeams and their own interests. The subject, indeed, was one of peculiar attraction to Mistress Blanche, and she would sometimes indulge the old gentleman with such a lengthened dissertation on its merits, and find herself so graciously encouraged by his patient attention, that her admiration of his powers of silence would become unbounded, till a sudden "Don't you think so, my dear?" producing an equivocal grunt on the part of don Alberto, she turned testily on her side, with some such address as, "What's the use of talking to you, fool?" and was soon immersed in dreams. But her indignation fled with the night, and with the morning came a calm consideration of Teophilo's claims.

the evidences of weeping from her daughter's face.
"Look gay-come-I didn't mean it. Ah! Teophilo,
we have been waiting for you, you see," added the
dame, as a youth entered with the air of one who
felt a superiority to his company.
44 Felicia has been
quite vexed that you delayed so long."

May I crave her pardon?" said the youth with a mock bow, "we are still in time if the divine Felicia will accompany me."

"O yes, that she will," said the mother, and the youth, swinging his feather with great importance, presented his hand, and led the reluctant Felicia to the door, the latter assenting with as little grace as was consistent with propriety.

They were scarcely ten steps from the house when Teophilo commenced his suit with a fervent flow of unintelligible devotion which a lover only could presume to interpret. The difficulty of penetrating the meaning was not greatly diminished by the fact that the maiden's thoughts were totally occupied with another person, of whose presence she was soon apprised by one of those significant coughs which tell little to any but those for whom they are intended; and it was unobserved accordingly by her loquacious companion.

On the opposite side of the way walked Ferdinand Clamerclotti, a stout young peasant, who had been watching some time for the chance of meeting Felicia alone. The disappointment appeared to affect him in no great degree, for with a sly look at the maiden, But notwithstanding all efforts from all quarters to and a jocose frown intended for her partner, he set prevail upon the fair Felicia to think better of Teo-his cap on one side of his head, and swaggered along philo, and encourage his approaches, the implacable maiden remained fixed to her resolve.

"Are you not ashamed of yourself, you wicked girl," said her mother to Felicia one Sabbath morning-"Are you not ashamed of yourself to put on that common dress when you know Teophilo is coming to escort you to mass? Fie, fie!"

with all the independence of one assured of the omnipotence of his own personal advantages. But in reality, Clamerclotti knew well he had very little to boast in that respect. He was short, strong, and active, and possessed a countenance that would have marked him as a vulgar epitome of manhood, had not a cheerful cunningness in the eyes and the goodnatured up-to-snuffishness of his whole bearing relieved him from that impression, and given him a certain individuality which seemed duly appreciated by "A motive!—yes, I understand you; substitute the the young maiden, who returned his attentions with little wretch Clamerclotti for the joyous and passionate all the manifestations of an earnest reciprocity. The Teophilo, and then-ah! I know your meaning, miss.cough we have mentioned will be readily supposed

Good enough for him, I think," was the reply. "And yet it pains me to disobey you. Give me a motive, and I can be as gay as others."

But it is useless, he shall never enter my doors."

He never shall against your wishes, mother, but while my heart is my own, I will never resign it to any other."

"That's right, Miss Undutiful," said Mistress Blanche "break your mother's heart, do, and marry the fellow. Ah! you may play with your cap string, and pretend not to heed me, but when I'm dead and gone you will perhaps."

"Oh! mother, do not talk so," said Felicia earnestly-" You know I love you, and would do every thing to please you, but-oh! do not talk of being dead and gone. I would do any thing to comfort you, you know I would!" and the poor girl approached her mother with eyes half-filled with tears, and kissed her affectionately.

"There, there, dry your eyes, here's Teophilo coming," said Mistress Blanche, assisting to remove

to have proceeded from this personage, and a short conversation of looks took place between the parties, who evidently understood, with the greatest proficiency, that silent dialect.

"How sweet a day it breathes of Felicia!" said Teophilo; "There is such loveliness and beauty in all around. There is the burning sun-there the heavens-there—”

"Your pardon, sir, your pardon," cried a voice: "Is not your name Teophilo? If it be, fly, for there is ruin menacing your house. The infuriate flames are raging over your inheritance, one-half of it may by this time be in ashes. Fly, and urge those who would assist you by your presence."

"What has happened? speak," said Teophilo, alarmed.

"Your mansion is in flames. The shrieks of females are heard. There is a cry for don Teophilo.