On the Invention of Letters. 1830.] other; it does not therefore appear probable that the art of expressing ideas by visible characters, at all times difficult of attainment, could have been so rapidly communicated as to be understood and practised by this people, in about half a century of war and public commotion. But the Phoenicians had cultivated this knowledge before the Israelites appeared on the borders of their land, which imparted a degree of refinement superior to the barbarous nations around them, and hence they were the most polished people in the land of Canaan. The terror naturally arising from the intelligence that the neighbouring states were invaded by a powerful and victorious race; and that the vanquished inhabitants were gradually abandoning their possessions, and flying to other countries for safety, would not be favourable to a new and abstruse study; for their chief solicitude, under the immediate impression of this dread, would be, to provide for their own security, which would appear somewhat doubtful, as the general foe approached the limits of their own territories. 21 context, where Moses informs us that the Lord commanded him "to write it for a memorial in a book."19" After writing was revealed,"20 says the author of the work already referred to, " Moses obeyed the precept, and writ the direction and reason for it in a book ;....for at this time he knew nothing of writing." This reasoning is very far from being conclusive. Would God command Moses to do that which he neither understood, nor was able to perform? Would he command him to write, when he knew nothing of writing?" And under such circumstances would not Moses have expostulated, as he did at the burning bush; "Lord assist my understanding, for thy servant is ignorant and helpless." If an art so extensively useful and necessary to man in his imperfect state, had been revealed to Moses, I again repeat, it would have been deemed worthy of an especial notice, particularly as every other specific revelation is recorded by the legislator in terms worthy of its divine origin. But there was extant amongst the Jews, a tradition that letters were invented before the flood. And therefore letters were known to that people prior to the time of Moses. It is however said, that Moses could not be acquainted with the art of writing when he built an altar for a memorial, and called it Jehovah-Nissi ;17 although it will scarcely be urged that the erection of an uninscribed altar or pillar, in commemoration of any remarkable event, implies an ignorance of letters, because the concurrent evidence of antiquity assures us that the contrary is true. It was the general custom of those ages to perpetuate the memory of any important transaction by an obelisk or pillar; and the pillar of Absalom 18 was uninscribed, as were many of the triumphal monuments of polished Greece and Rome; and there were few inscribed tombs in England from the Norman Conquest to the reign of Edward III. May it not be supposed that this altar was erected by Moses to mark the precise spot of ground on which the Amalekites were defeated; and that the particulars of the transaction were noted down by him in the record the he doubtless kept of the circumstances which attended their deliverance from Egyptian slavery? This conjecture is abundantly strengthened, if not confirmed, by the 17 Confus. of Tongues, p. 28. Exod. c. 18 2 Sam. c. xviii. v. 18. xvii, v. 15, It is the opinion of eminent writers, that there were records remaining of God's promises to the posterity of Abraham, in the time of Job; and they think that Bildad the Shuite referred to them in his address 22 to that patriarch during his affliction. 23 Bishop Tomline conjectures, that the Book of Job was written either by Job himself, or compiled from materials left by him.24 Now if it be true that Job was the same with Jobab king of Edom,25 as is the opinion of Alstedius,26 he was the son of Zerah of Bozra, the grandson of Esau; and of course lived some ages before the time of Moses. And this conjecture, as to the time of Job, is rendered very probable, because his friend Eliphaz, who is represented as a venerable old man, is said by Moses 27 to be the eldest son of Esau. 19 Exod. c. xvii. v. 14. 21 Confus. of Tongues, p. 28. 22 Job, c. viii. v. 8. 23 Bishop Patrick. 25 Gen. c. xxxvi. v. 33. Hence, whether Job wrote this book himself, or left materials behind him in a visible form, relating the principal events of his calamitous life, he must have been acquainted with the art of writing, otherwise his record would not have been intelligible to posterity; and all the theories of learned men on the origin of this book, do not contain the slightest hint that it was transmitted through the medium of oral tradition. Job, in the paroxysm of his anguish and complaint exclaims, "O, that my words were now written! O, that mine adversary had written a book!" 28 These exclamations can imply nothing less, than that writing was practised in the time of Job; for language will scarcely furnish a name for an art or science quite unknown; and this art is referred to by Job in a familiar manner, as if his friends were perfectly acquainted with it. It is very strongly presumed that this book was written by Moses before the Deliverance, because no allusion whatever is made to that miraculous event. Now if this book had been a subsequent composition of the great Lawgiver, and written during the period when the Israelites sojourned in the wilderness, some reference to, or illustration of the circumstances attending their protracted wanderings, would have been inevitable. And Gray, in his preface to Schuiteus on this book, explicitly asserts that it was composed by Moses during his residence with Jethro in the land of Midian, from ancient records in the custody, most probably, of his father-in-law, to comfort his afflicted brethren during their captivity in Egypt. And this would be many years before the promulgation of the written GEO. OLIVER. law. (To be continued.) Mr. URBAN, Shaftesbury, June 26. I is a trait so fraught with genuine goodness, that I am induced to request you to place it upon record. As the late Rev. William Douglas, Chancellor of the diocese of Salisbury, was returning to the palace of the venerable prelate his father, (the sun shining with effulgence, no cooling zephyr even in the shade,) he perceived on the high road the most lamentable 28 Job, c. xix. v. 23.; c. xxxi. v. 35. motion of a fellow creature, wending his lonely way, slowly and sorrowfully, with parched tongue and wounded feet, that ever the eye of pity glanced upon. The name of a sailor sounded in the ear of this christian divine like the name of a friend, and after the strictest interrogatories he found the object before him to be faithful and honest in his report. This quickened a lambent flame of benevolent generosity in his heart, and, very unlike the Jew of old, "who passed by on the other side of the way," he ordered his servant to alight, and stepping out of his carriage, desired them both to enter, and he would drive. I saw their approach to the city; the gates of the palace soon closed on them, and a worthy defender of our shores was thus hospitably received: but he had not been used to march, and for a time he sank under it; and even amidst all comfort, where the ever bountiful hand of Providence had conducted him, he would rather have been on the turbulent bosom of that ocean and with those comrades where his courageous heart was centered. I next saw him, Sir, ascend the steps of the portico of the Council House at Salisbury, and stand by the portly fi gure of his benefactor, who with his fine and sonorous voice had called "Bassett" from the immense crowd assembled to witness the ceremonial of presenting the city's freedom to the Hero of the Nile, in his progress, with a numerous retinue, to the Abbey of Fonthill. When introduced, the vete ran was immediately recognized by Lord Nelson, as one of those daring and brave men who would either vanquish or die, and who was under his flag "when glory like a dazzling eagle stood" on the brow of the veteran, and when "Egypt's groans and cries"+ had aroused his country to effect her deliverance. After his introduction Lord. ship, he descended time to his othe portico again, and, mingling with the crowd, with a light heart exhibited "the King's picture in gold," a present from the Admiral to drink his Majesty's health. He was afterwards employed by his benefactor in the garden of his vicarage at Gillingham, Dorset, Yours, &c. ALPHA. 1830.] Mr. URBAN, A On Bishop Sumner's " Apostolic Preaching." June 24. Vicarage, Mere, Wilts, MONG the most prominent, perhaps, in our times, to oppose the Calvinistic heresy, is one who has since become a prelate; I mean Bishop BIRD SUMNER [of Chester]. This author, in his "Apostolic Preaching," has laudably swelled the list of anti-Calvinistic writers, but candour compels me to own, "magnis excidit ausis." Though he has used his utmost endeavours, it is clear that he is unable fully to grapple with the question. He is impar congressus. Bishop Bird Sumner has certainly added nothing new to the able refutations of the predestination heresy already extant. The best of his arguments are from BishopTOMLINE; some are inconclusive, some incorrect, while others are altogether lost sight of-by the judicious use of which he could have hurled the unscriptural fabric of fatalism down from its imaginary axis, never to rise again. That "election" is national, and not individual; that it implies in Scripture election to the grace of the Gospel, to the means of salvation, and not to final salvation, is not an original idea of the writer's: it has been ably proved by writers antecedent to Bishop Bird Sumner. The objection of the case of Esau and Jacob ་་ aqua 13 baptism, and not at all to final justifi- He should have shown that the verbs is, unfortunately, put more strongly and divine, Bishop Bird Sumner, one would suppose, might have known that it is the translation only of those passages, and not the passages themselves, that come within the Calvinistic obliquity of vision. For example: the Bishop quotes "The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved." If it be intended that this addition to the Church being made by "the Lord," favours Calvinism, the argument is contemptible; for " every other good and perfect gift is of the Lord:" and if it be contended that the words "such as should be saved" implies a personal election to salvation, it betrays a blameable carelessness as to the Greek, where the expression owloμerous being a participle of the present and imperfect indicative mood, cannot imply anything prospective or decreed to be: and, instead of being translated "such as should be saved," ought to have been Christians enjoy on earth; being glo- translated "such as were saved"-that rified in their head, Jesus Christ, and receiving the blessings of the Spirit. He should have shown that ἐδικαίωσε should be referred, not to final justification, but to a state of pardon and present favour; as 1 Cor. vi. 11, where "justified" is used with reference to is, such as were placed by baptism, faith, and repentance, in an incipient state of salvation; which, as a Téλos,was, subsequently, to be "worked out."" The next quotation adduced by Bishop Bird Sumner is, " As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed." Now, he might have known, and should have explained, that relaμéros does not, in the Greek, presuppose anything like an absolute decree, or any decree at all, but simply disposed" or "prepared;" i. e. they were disposed in their minds for the reception of the Gospel, by the preaching of Paul and Barnabas. Besides, the Bishop, by adhering implicitly to the English, has falsely placed the punctuation; and thereby added to the supposed Calvinistic tone of the passage. The English version stands as if the Greek passage had stood in this construing order-relaμévos els (wny αἰώνιον, whereas the punctuation of the Greek should place it in the following construing order-iisav tis (wn alwvior; it should be so distinguished by the commas, as that is why may connect with the verb, not the participle, thus: imistva, oσos nσar Tilalμéros, Els (why alwvov; that is, as many of them as were prepared, [or collected together, for the Hebrew of Exod. xxix. 33, is rendered by some rarloμai, and by the LXX. ovvάyw] believed in [or professed their belief in] everlasting life. Viewed thus, Bishop Bird Sumner's idea of the Calvinistic aspect of this passage appears not well founded. In the next quotation which the Bishop adduces, his fears of a Calvinistic construction would make it appear that he was only an English reader of the scriptures, or that he thought the clergy, whom he addresses, such. He quotes from Jude thus: "Certain men had crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained unto this condemnation." He would have helped our anti-Calvinistic cause much more, had he, instead of abiding by the received ver sion, shown, as is attempted in the passages above explained, its utter incorrectness. Háλas goyeygauμéros is incorrectly translated "before ordained." Now the Bishop seems to think, from his citation of this passage, that the doom of these persons had been of old written in the book of fate; whereas πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι refers only to the punishment of such characters having been predicted of old in the scriptures. Really, writers should be more cautious. One regrets to find a man of Bishop Bird Sumner's abilities treating of prescience and predestination as synonyms (p. 39). Much of the error on this subject has arisen from this very confusion of terms. The Calvinistic errors do not require the dull, prosing, abstract reasoning Bishop Bird Sumner has adopted; but a critical and learned exposure of texts which have been divorced from their contexts, and dragged into the service of irrespective decrees and other irrational and unscriptural follies, which set the Word of God at variance with the Word of God. His style betrays a want of that critical nicety, without which no man will combat either Calvinists or Unitarians successfully. His diction abounds in carelessnesses like these passim: He talks of resting on a reliance, p. 3; of a superiority of one part of the service above the other, P. 4; and of being bound by an obliother tautologies remind one of the exgation, p. 30. These and numerous pression used by the other Bishop Sumner [of Winchester], in one of his Charges" the lucre of gain": and this again reminds me of the man who thought the calmness of a walk by crepuscular twilight tended to smooth the rough asperities of life! Bishop Bird Sumner gravely quotes Baxter (p. 6,7, 8), who, in a ridiculous passage, in which he talks of congregations being full, and calls inns and alehouses families, enlarges on the delightfulness of "100 families singing psalms and repeating sermons in the streets of a country town on Sundays!!" Does Bishop Bird Sumner really wish to see such results flow from a zealous and able discharge of the clerical duties? Bishop Bird Sumner quotes and extols Mr. Wilberforce. I Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, S. H. CASSAN. May 10. OFFER you an attempt to explain a further portion of one of the Prophets, who has much engaged my attention lately. In this, the assurance, too strong and plain to be mistaken, that Jerusalem is to be occupied again by the scattered of Israel, the prediction of another siege, and of the prowess of the Jews, who have long ceased to be a military people, their eventual conviction that it was really the Lord of Life whom their ancestors nailed to the cross, and their grief on the discovery, are topics which, I trust, may render this essay interesting, however feeble and imperfect the execution. Yours, &c. S. W. 1830.] Zechariah, c. XII.-Carvings' at Chatsworth. ZECHARIAH, C. XII. Thus with the Lord, Speak in prophetic strain Of Israel's later days: I, the great God, Spread heaven's wide arch and earth's foundation laid, That my creation, man, form'd by my breath living soul, should walk thereon in truth, With rage disfigured now, he dares to war, And compasseth with murd'rous implements The city of my Chosen-yet shall Zion Be as a cup of trembling, and a rock To all who shall molest her, grinding to dust Th' encamped multitudes who press the siege. [host, I, saith the Lord, will smite the astonished Both horse and rider. Rushing through the ranks, [foe; The maddening steed shall bear the frenzied And while their warriors, in darkness lost, Blindly conduct the war, beams of pure light Shall burst on Judah's eye; their softened [our strength, Shall prompt each tongue to cry," The Lord On Him we trust. The Lord of Hosts our God." hearts Jerusalem's firm chiefs, then like a fire Kindled beneath some forest in parch'd au tumn, Or as a torch blazing midst summer sheaves, 15 Mr. URBAN, Bakewell, June 18. THE compiler of the third vol of Murray's Family Library, containing Lives of British Painters, Sculptors, &c., in the sketch he has given of Grinling Gibbons, has endeavoured to impress that this artist was the presiding genius, and had the direction of all and that Samuel Watson was only a the carving executed at Chatsworth, subordinate workman in that elegant work. I think it but due to my grandfather's memory to publish the following account of agreements and other documents in my possession, and which I trust are not unworthy of a record in the Gentleman's Magazine. First, by agreement dated Sept. 9th, 1692, with the Earl of Devonshire, Samuel Watson, with two others, executed the ornaments in limetree-wood, for the great chamber, the dead game over the chimney-piece being by Watson's own hand, whose bill for the same, also in my possession, amounts to 1331. 7s. They were completed in 1693. brated pen over the door in the southThe trophy, containing the celewest corner room, is proved, by several documents in my possession, to be my grandfather's work also. By another agreement, dated Sept. 2, 1701, in the Duke of Devonshire's own hand, on a stamp, and the bill for the work, amounting to 55l., he executed (by 1704) the arms in the pediment of the west front. In David as their King, and Israel's sons hands The King Messiah died! The land shall house Of Levi, and from Shimei in later days Also, by agreement dated Sept. 28th, 1705, of the same nature, for the carv ing of the north front, (finished 1707), 947. gs. 4d. Besides these, for which special agreements are in my possession, I have vouchers and settled bills for the following works, namely: 1701-For carving thirteen urns in gritstone, 1701-For carving thirteen mask heads in 1711-For carving on ten vessel ends his Samuel Watson was born at Heanor in Derbyshire, in Dec. 1663, where he died, 31st March, 1715, and was succeeded by his son Henry Watson of Bakewell, who carved the arms in the pediment of the stables at Chatsworth, |