rational foundations of that system (and surely the supernatural must not be grounded again on the supernatural--a rational beginning must be found. for the admission of divine interference and authority)-the rational foundations, I repeat, of Church Christianity are totally disproportionate to the assurance demanded. This is the result of my whole life, and with this acknowledged result I am lingering, alas, too long! on the brink of the grave, ready to give my account to my Maker.

"I will now conclude, though, if I can muster a little strength, I may continue to write upon this subject, though not to force my observations upon you, unless you positively wish to become acquainted with them. My duty to you has been already fulfilled.—Were it not for the tyranny of Subscription, were it not for the unfeelingness of popular opinion, supported by law, in regard to the engagements of a Clergyman, a young man, in your circumstances, might venture into the Ministry, with security of conscience, under the conviction, that should he find his office and his reason at variance, he might pursue another profession, or means of living; with personal loss, unquestionably, but, at all events, with safety from scandal and abuse. But in the present state of things, every young man who takes Orders exposes himself to the possible alternative of being, his whole life, a HYPOCRITE or a I say the danger is POSSIBLE; yet it is a danger of such magnitude that the mere possibility

MARTYR.

is enough to appal any man who loves God and his

duty.

"That He may preserve you from such a danger, is the prayer of your affectionate Friend,

"J. B. W."

25th.

Finished a general examination of Gieseler's Ecclesiastical History.

29th.

I am reading with great pleasure and advantage Degerando, du Perfectionnement Moral. It is a practical view of Morals, written by a man who thoroughly feels what he teaches. Though he avoids theory, yet in treating of Liberty he falls into some of the common sophisms relative to that very difficult subject. In my opinion the usual controversy arises from a confusion of terms, and from a deep-rooted fear of disturbing social morality. The important distinction between libertas a necessitate and libertas a coactione, is seldom attended to. Nothing whatever can force my will: every man is more or less conscious of that fact; but at the same time we are, or may be, equally conscious that we are never decided without a motive. Degerando urges the case of a criminal in a dungeon. "Mais quoi! le prisonnier captif dans un cachot est privé de tout ce que vous

décorez du nom de liberté (this is an assumption; nobody in his senses can say so) cependant il médite de commettre de nouveaux forfaits . .

il donc pas encore coupable?

N'est

S'il est coupable,

il est donc libre, même dans les fers."-Vol. i. p. 62. What thinking man ever did deny it? "Il est coupable” means, he is not what he ought to be. Why is he so? Ans. Because he will not be better. Why again, will he not be better? Ans. Because he is free so that a man is good because he is free, and is wicked because he is free: a strange cause which produces two opposite effects.-No man, I believe, did ever experience the absence of all motives, except his freedom. In all such arguments there is a confusion of Will-free-Will, and Desire-blind-Will. I think the best definition of Will is this: FreeWill is the faculty which can control Desire. Is this Will equally powerful in all men? This is what no speculation can ascertain. The Will is equally free from compulsion in all men; but is it equally unseducible by Desire? Well, then, it will be urged again: "Men sin necessarily." I answer, they sin wilfully; they do that which they ought not to do, and are guilty, i. e. they must bear the consequences. The moral worth of men depends on the degree of control which their Will has over their desires. This is perfectly true. I believe that the Free Will of Man is in accordance with his Conscience or Reason-" to will is present with me; but to perform that which is good I find not (says St. Paul, from

his own experience), for I delight in the law of God after the inward man." The inward man is the Free Will; the flesh are the blind desires. The inward man does not perform his natural office unless he subdues the outward to his control: in whatever degree he either fails to conquer or is conquered, in that degree he is not what he should be: he is not good, i.e. he is wicked. But as to his deserts, whether for reward or punishment, only God can judge, who knows the relative strength of the Controller and the Rebel in each individual.

The same day.

Gieseler, Part II., pp. 22, 23, has some interesting quotations relating to the holy fool St. Boniface, the apostle, as he is called, of the Germans. His narrowness of mind is equal to his persecuting spirit. His subjection to the Church of Rome is quite puerile. The precepts of that church are equally absurd and childish. The Pope Gregory III. writes to the Bishop that he is shocked at hearing that some of the Germans had feasted upon a wild horse: immundum enim est et execrabile. Boniface wished to know what kinds of food were lawful, and what kinds unlawful. The Pope answers that neither crows, nor rooks, nor storks, were lawful for Christians; "much more should badgers, and hares, and wild horses be avoided. But you are well aware about (these things?) from the Scriptures. (That is, he refers

to Leviticus.) You also ask how long must bacon be kept before it is eaten. The Fathers have left us no directions about it. But as you ask advice, we will give it you, namely, it should not be eaten till it is dried by smoke, or dressed by fire. But if people like to eat it raw, let them wait till after Easter!"

The next passage is from a letter of Boniface to Pope Zachary, a most violent accusation against two Heretics, as he calls them. In this letter he charges one of them with introducing Judaism by allowing a man to marry his wife's sister-in-law. Yet this blockhead and his Pope did not think of the Judaism of the difference of food which they enforced according to Leviticus.

Aug. 31st.

Finished reading the first four volumes of Michelet's Hist. de France, an admirable work. I hope the continuation will soon be out.

Sept. 2nd, 1839.

A miserable night. My mind full of the project of having one, or two, of my nieces Beck here. Tried crutches, with no success whatever: the effort made me almost faint. Wrote to Captain Curtain, asking what is to be done if I obtain a promise of the purchase-money.*

[For his son's Captaincy.]