characterized for great justness of on the cross, their society was dis thought, and for an accurate dis solved and they retired from the play of the rules of human duty, scene in grief and despair. But expressed always in a forcible and in a few days, these same persons neat, and frequently in a very ani- rally, re-unite, and seem to be mated manner; in proof of which divested of all former passions and we should be glad to lay before feelings to account for this the our readers a variety of extracts, preacher says, if the limits of our own work "Nothing could have united them: nowould allow it. We shall content thing could have inspired them with the ourselves with giving an example resolution and intrepidity, which they so or two of the Doctor's method of signally manifested: nothing could have supported their patience, encouraged their handling his subject. perseverance, and secured their success, but the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and those powers which he imparted to them as an evidence and confirma

tion of the truth of this fact. Because

In his sermon on "The Practical Influence of the Resurrection of Christ," from the words "Because I live, ye shall live also." after an ad- he lived, they lived also. Conscious of mirably impressive introduction, he his restoration to life, deriving supernaobserves that the words of the text tural influence from him, and animated by the hope of finally sharing ith him

Vol. I. p. 101.

imply not only the future triumph of in his triumph over death and the grave, the disciples, to whom they were ad- the fearful became valiant, the weak dressed, over death, and their feli- became strong, and the gospel approved city in a future world, but the re. itself the power of God to the salvation solution and activity with which, of them who believed." in consequence of the resurrection of their master, they would be en- We have observed that Dr. abled to propagate his religion, Rees does not enter into controverand serve the best interests of man. sial points of doctrine; there is, kind, and the glorious success that however, in this sermon, p. 109, would crown their patience and a passage that seems to hold much labour. And he asks, if any one stronger language with regard to can consider the surprizing change the common opinion of the atone. that was produced in the temper ment, than we could have expect. and conduct of our Lord's first ed. Speaking of Christ, he says, disciples, without deriving a strong "His death was a sacrifice of propresumptive proof that he was pitiation for the sins of men," &c. really raised from the dead, at the We are aware, from what follows, time and in the manner which he that the whole passage may be inhad predicted? No other princi- terpreted in a more general sense ple can account for a change so than that which a certain class of sudden and so signal. Before his persons will attach to it. They death, they were timid, dej cted will construe the paragraph in and desponding: when he was ap. such a way as to shew the author prehended and condemued and led is in union with them in rendering out to crucifixion, they were seen the Almighty an inexorable being, dissembling, or denying, or afraid who requires an atonement to be of avowing their connection with made before he can pardon the of him: and when they saw him dead fences of the human race: a doc

VOL. VII.

་ ་ བ་

trine which we doubt not, is as the character we have maintained and abhorrent from the feelings and the works we have performed. With this prospect, it is of little moment, whether we are abased or whether we abound. Piety and virtue in every station will ensure a certain and glorious reI. $86, 387.i ward."

the faith of the pastor of the Old Jewry congregation, as it is from

ours.

The xviii, xix and xx discourses, in the first volume of this work, merit attention, at a period when every one seems disposed to look upon wealth as every thing, and to regard an abundance of this world's good as essential to enjoy ment and happiness: when many, because they cannot live in such a style, and more in such a sphere as they have either anticipated or been accustomed to, abandon them. selves to melancholy and despair, rather than attempt to adapt their tempers to their condition. The following passage will illustrate the author's manuer on this sub. ject.

In reasoning on the omnipre sence of God, our author thus ad dresses his audience:

"As God is infinitely perfect, he must be every where present. If we set limits to the presence of God, we proportiona bly degrade his excellence and diminish his perfection. If he does not exist and act every where, he is so far an imperfect being. Besides, if we deny the existence and a agency of God in any one place, we may deny that he exists and acts in every other; and, consequently, he does not exist by that kind of necessity of nature, which belongs to the underived and self-existent being. But waving these more abstruse demonstrations of the om

The visible

nipresence of God; demonstrations,
however, that are satisfactory and con-
vincing to those who are accustomed to
this kind of reasoning; we may observe,
that God is, wherever he acts; and we
perceive traces of the divine agency
every where around us.
creation is in this sense full of God.
There is not a point of space: there is
not an atom of matter, which does not
bear testimony to the presence and in-
fluence of God; and as it is a first prin-
ciple, that no being can act where it is
not, the agency of God, which is univer-
sal, must evince his universal presence.
Wherever we discern an effect, there
must be a cause; and of course all the
matter and the motion which we observe

"As we are professedly the disciples of Christ, we may derive from his example and doctrine peculiar instruction and powerful motives in the cultivation and exercise of this art. His views and conduct illustrated a superiority to the world, which we should endeavour to resemble. His character was the most excellent and exemplary that was ever exhibited in human nature; and yet his condition was humble and obscure. His history beclouds the lustre of rank and affluence, and warns us of the folly and danger of estimating worth by dignity of station or by the abundance which any in the universe constrains us to admit the man possesses. His doctrine expressly vital presence and constant energy of the teaches us, that a man's life, the true Almighty. Without God, the universe happiness of his life, consisteth not in the would be a chaos. The sun and stars, amplitude of his stores or the elevation that gild the firmament by day and by of his rank. It presents to our desires and pursuit qualities of a nobler nature and night, would be extinguished." more lasting duration than those which decay with time, and of which we must be inevitably bereaved by death. It fixes our happiness on a more solid basis than that of worldly honours and possessions: on a basis, which will remain firm and immoveable, when the world disappears and the frame of nature is dissolved. It directs our views to a tribunal, before

which rank and wealth will be of no acount, and teaches us to expect a sen- sence, decisive and final, according to

I. 244, 245.

From the foregoing passages, which are a fair specimen of the contents of fifty sermons, the reader will be better able to judge of their value, than he could, possibly, from any commendations of ours. We may, however add, that while there are among them, discourses calculated to rouse the young and

thoughtless to exertion, and to this country and patronised by the states

Church; Unitarians, according to the definition previously given, as worshippers of God the Father only; you as semble within these wa'ls For the promotion of un-dulterated Christi anity, you have erected this edifice. To this great ob ect, may it ever be devoted. And may peace dwell within this tabernacle, and happiness attend those who statedly assemble within its doors."

Pp. 24-28.

ART. III. Eighteen Hundred and Eleven. A Poem. By Anna Lætitia Barbauld. 4to. pp. 25. Johnson and Co. 1812. Eagerly will the leaves of this work be opened by all whose car has been, charmed by the genius of its well-known author: but the lover of his country will almost forget the delight he is wont to take in the effusions of genius, whilst his heart trembles at the solemn truths, and melts at the sad anticipations, of this deep ly interesting poem. Heaven grant that the me. lancholy strain may not prove the voice of prophecy!

After a pathetic description of the miseries and crimes of war, we meet with the following lines: And think'st thou, Britain, still to sit at

ease,

An island Queen amidst thy subject seas,
While the vet billows, in their distant

roar,

But soothe thy slumbers, and but kiss thy shore?

To sport in wars, while danger keeps aloof,

Thy grassy turf unbruised by hostile hoof?

So sing thy flatterers; but, Britain, know,

Thou who hast shared the guilt must share the woe.

That time may tear the garland from her brow,

And Europe si in dust, as Asia now.

This gloomy prospect is, how-
ever, somewi at enlivened by the
hope that honourable fame will
survive. the ruin of our native.
country; and that distant lands
will succeed to all the blessings of
civilization and freedom:
Yet, O my country, name beloved,
revered

By every tie that binds the soul endeared,
Whose image to my infant senses came
Mixt with Religion's light and Free-
If prayers may not avert, if 'tis thy fate
dom's holy flame!
To rank amongst the names that once
we.e great,

Not like the dim cold crescent shalt thou
fade,

Thy debt to Science and the Muse unpaid;

Thine are the laws surrounding states

revere.

Thine the bright stars in Glory's sky
Thine the full har est of the mental year,,

that shine,

And arts that make it life to live are

thine.

The hner sense of morals and of art, Thy stores of knowledge the new states shall know,

And think thy thoughts, and with thy fancy glow.

We lament that this poem is not more extended. For a nation drunken with blood, line upon line, The author, through the poem, and precept upon precept, is needpursues the afflicting thought that,, ful. Many more reflections of the

Night, gothic night, again may shade
the plains
Where Power is seated, and where

Science reigns;
England, the seat of arts, be only known
By the gray ruin and the mouldering

stone;

most impressive nature might, on the pen of an author, whom every such a subject, have flowed from man of poetic and moral taste re veres as a poet, a patriot and a christian.

M.

MEMOIR OF MRS. LINDSEY, BY MRS. CAPPÉ.

SIR,

(In a Letter to the Editor.)

York, Feb. 9th 1812.

subject of this memoir, was born in August, 1740 Elizabeth, the I wish I were more equal to the younger, a most lovely, amiable task allotted me, of giving, to such girl, died at the age of thirteen of your readers as it may interest, years, and being two years younger some idea of the character of my late than her sister, and nearer my own highly-valued friend, Mrs. LIND. age, she was my beloved and fax SEY, of Essex Street. Frequent vourite companion, and well repersonal intercourse in the early member her death at this moment, part of life, added to a confiden. as my deepest and earliest afflicti tial correspondence for more than on. Whilst her children were yet half a century, may be supposed young, Mrs. Elsworth married the to have supplied ample materials, late very eminent Archdeacon and in fact it has supplied them; Blackburne, the near neighbour my diffidence arises, not from any and friend of my father, who was defect of this sort, but from the Mr. Lindsey's predecessor in the difficulty of selecting from the long living of Catterick. Hence our series of past events that crowd early connection, and hence also, upon my recollection, a few of the probably, in consequence of this most striking, and of compressing marriage, those early associations the relation to be given of them were formed in the originally supe within the compass that can be rior mind of Miss Elsworth, which allowed in the Monthly Reposito- powerfully tended to its expansion rý. It would be easy for me and vigour, and to fit her for the to descant upon her talents and important station in after life, she her virtues; the activity, ability was destined so eminently to fill. and zeal, with which she unweari. As it is edifying, where it can be edly pursued whatever might pro. done, to trace the several minuteTM mote the general cause of scriptu- circumstances which lead, in ral truth and virtue, increase the their consequences, to events happiness, or alleviate the distress most important to the individual of suffering individuals. But in and to others in various ways condiscriminate panegyric is not my nected; proving to demonstrationobject; far would she herself have that nothing happens by chance, been from desiring it; "Pray for and thus to obtain a transient me," was her constant language, glimpse of that more glorious de"that the many failings and de- velopment of divine wisdom and fects of a too irritable nervous goodness which will be displayed system, may finally be subdued when the great volume of provi. and corrected." dence shall be more clearly unfolded; I shall mention the fol lowing apparently trifling anecdote.

Mrs. Lindsey's father, Mr. Els worth, of Richmond, in York. shire, died in early life, leaving a widow and two daughters; Han. nah, the elder of whom, and the

There lived in the neighbour hood of Catterick, a very excel