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whom the Spirit of God hath awakened to seriousness about the plain and affecting realities of conversion. Their conscience may be stricken, and their appetite be excited for an actual settlement of mind on those points about

which they feel restless and unconfirmed. Such as these are vastly too much engrossed with the exigencies of their condition, to be repelled by the homeliness of unadorned truth. And thus it is, that while the loveliness of the song has done so little in helping on the influences of the Gospel, our men of simplicity and prayer have done so much for it. With a deep and earnest impression of the truth themselves, they have made manifest that truth to the consciences of others. Missionaries have gone forth with no other preparation than the simple Word of the Testimony-and thousands have owned its power, by being both the hearers of the word and the doers of it also.. They have given us the experiment in a state of unmingled simplicity; and we learn, from the success of their noble example, that without any one human expedient to charm the ear, the heart may, by the naked in strumentality of the Word of God, urged with plainness on those who feel its deceit and its worthlessness, be charmed to an entire acquiescence in the revealed way of God, and have impressed upon it the genuine stamp and character of godliness." pp. 242-246. Having now arrived at the close of this very interesting volume, we had purposed offering a few critical remarks upon the general style and manner in which it is written; but, after the various extracts which have been given, and the incidental observations which have occurred in the course of our review, we may, perhaps, fairly spare ourselves this part of our labour. We consider the discourses before us as a favourable example of that florid and declamatory style of writing which will always excite interest, attract readers, and be applauded by the world at large, while it fur nishes the critic with considerable matter for animadversion and complaint. Dr. Chalmers's command of words and imagery is unlimited: he presents a thought in every varied aspect and position; throws

his light and colours around it in all the wanton exuberance of a rich and inventive fancy, and is never willing to give it up while a possibility exists of presenting it under new combinations of language, or with more glowing fervours of an overpowering eloquence. The result of this is, that, while he astonishes and fascinates by the richness and splendour of his diction, he is apt to fatigue by the frequent repetition of the same ideas in different words, and sometimes even renders his argument weak by a superfluous attempt to make it more attractive or convincing. We must be allowed to doubt whether this style of writing is, at any time, quite consistent with classical purity of taste; and still more, whe ther it is well adapted to the gravity and sobriety of the Christian pulpit. himself, in his ordinary mode of pul We should hope that Dr. Chalmers pit instruction, would be very far from indulging in those splendida peccata, those dulcia vitia of style and manner, which we have thus ventured to reprehend in his astronomical lectures. We should be grieved to find that his example could be pleaded by any young prac titioner in divinity, as an excuse for clothing the trite and common-place. remarks of an ordinary discourse in a

grandiloquence and verbosity and tautology of diction which, if ever excusable, is excusable only for the sake of such vast and sublime conceptions asthose which Dr.Chalmers has presented to the astonished and admiring reader. It may be lawful for Jeremy Taylor, or for Dr. Chalmers, or for men like them, whose high talents and excellencies far more than atone for verbal faults, to soar above ordinary modes of expression, and to string, if ne cessary, half a score literary pearls by no closer tie than a conjunction; and to be "above boards" in their arguments; and to "grapple it" with an adversary "in fronted opposition ;" and to demand of an opponent who "theorises it" in

philosophy, "Tell me, oh tell me;"
and to exclaim "how becoming
well;" and to "frown unmannerly;"
and to "mince ambiguous scepti-
cism;" and to "make delight
emanate on an arrested audience;"
aye, and to concentre in a single
sentence "the every" violation
of sober taste, and even gram-
matical accuracy; but if any
ordinary hero shall expect to be
mistaken for an Achilles by as-
suming his armour, or rather by
imitating its ornaments and even its
blemishes, we have no doubt what
will be the result of his temerity.
We are sure Dr. Chalmers would
be among the first to discourage in
a young divine that rhetorical mag-
nificence of style for which his own
volume is so remarkably conspi-
cuous; and we are equally sure he
will excuse us for pointing out the
perils of imitating an example, of
which the very splendour, by ren-
dering it seductive, renders it dan-
gerous to the junior members of
the clerical profession. If they
will fairly emulate the good sense,
sound argument, scriptural infor-
mation, and earnest piety of Dr.
Chalmers, it will be no disadvan-
tage to them should they prefer a
mode of composition less elaborate
and gorgeous than that which has
given rise to these observations,
But, in justice to Dr. Chalmers
himself, we cannot help adding,
and we speak from a sincere and
affectionate desire to prevent, as
far as we can, any waste of talents,
for the gift of which we are grate
ful, that in the degree in which
he departs from that powerful sim-
plicity of expression which marks
various passages in his former pub-
lications, and several even in the
present, and which seems also to us
peculiarly to suit the character of his
mind, and is seduced to array his
stylewith the somewhat meretricious
and cumbrous ornaments of a tumid
eloquence, will he be likely to miss,
what we are persuaded is the grand
and governing object of all his mi-
nistrations, the object nearest his
heart, that of being made instru-

mental in turning men" from dark-
ness to light, and from the power
of satan unto God." It was the
remark of one who is himself a
mighty master of eloquence, and
who had the opportunity of hearing
Dr. Chalmers preach during his
late visit to the metropolis, that after
having read the astronomical ser-
mons, he was most agreeably disap-
pointed to find that one great charm
of his public addresses was the
singular union which they exhi-
bited of simplicity and force. It
is precisely this quality which we
desiderate in the sermons before
us, and the cultivation of which
we earnestly recommend to Dr.
Chalmers, for purposes of far
higher moment than that of dis-
arming the severity of ephemeral
criticism. God has, indeed, sig-
nally qualified him to benefit man-
kind, both from the pulpit and the
press. Let him not frustrate "this
grace," either by a want of care
and diligence in purifying and cor-
recting his language, or by mis-
taking the undiscerning acclama-
tions of the multitude for the award
of taste and judgment.

Having thus alluded to the style in which this volume is written, we cannot conclude without adding a passing remark or two upon the mode in which the argument is conducted. Dr. Chalmers seems, in all his discourses, to view the doctrine of a plurality of inhabited worlds as a point not admitting of question: many of his arguments seem built, not upon the mere hypothesis of this being possible, but upon the supposition of its being an established fact. In our summary of his speculations, and inthe general tenor of our review, we have gone upon the same ground; as we did not wish to prevent our readers entering with the fullest zest into the subject which Dr. Chalmers has brought before them. But having thus placed our author's arguments and illustrations in the fairest light, we think it our duty to inquire whether his mode of reasoning is strictly philosophical. A reader who enters with

avidity into the contents of this truly interesting production, can scarcely fail to rise from the perusal of Dr. Chalmers's pages with a sort of feeling (we cannot call it a persuasion), that the doctrine of a plurality of inhabited worlds rests upon almost as firm a foundation as the most rigid truths in geometry. But after all, what is the proof of this fact? It may be so; it very possibly, or even probably is so; but ought this possibility to have been allowed for a moment to furnish any fair or philosophical objection against a fact depending, like the truth of Christianity, upon evidence and argument? We really think, with deference to the deservedly respected name of Dr. Chalmers, that he has himself somewhat deviated from the cautious and inductive system of Bacon and Newton, of which he is the avowed admirer and supporter. He not only admits the doctrine of a plurality of worlds, in the usual sense of the expression, as immense masses of matter, the seat of animal existence, but he even speculates upon their inhabitants; and leaves his reader with an impression that the higher orders of being of whom the Scriptures speak, actually dwell in some of the very globes which astronomers behold from the earth with their short sighted telescopes. That there are angels in heaven, or inhabitants in the planet Jupiter, though suppositions, of which the evidence is widely different in its nature, and still more different in the degrees of strength, would almost seem (an effect, however, by no means intended by Dr. C.) to possess equal claims to belief. Things, to say the least, very questionable are often spoken of in a tone so decided as scarcely suffers the reader to reflect that the whole structure, which appears so complete and magnificent to the mind's eye, is founded only on an airy speculation. In combating the objections of the infidel, Dr.Chalmers has not only admitted, for the sake of argument, his lead

ing fact, but has dwelt upon it in every variety of light, and connected it with the highest ideas of magnificence, and the most undeniable discoveries of eternal truth. Instead of speaking of it as an hypothesis, which at best is but doubtful, and which he allows only for the purpose of refuting the objection supposed to arise out of it, he takes it up with all the eagerness of a spontaneous advocate. This certainly was not necessary for his argument; and in doing it we think that our author has gone beyond the limits of that experimental philosophy of which he is the champion. We are not aware that any accredited philosopher of the Newtonian school has ventured thus to make a mere possibility the foun dation for so grave a discussion. Even those who have spoken most strongly of there being inhabitants in the moon, stars, and planets, have never viewed the notion as more than a probable coujecture. Our specific objection, therefore, to Dr. Chalmers's manner of con-" ducting the subject is, that after having first introduced the doctrine in a bypothetical manner, he' seems to forget, in the course of his argument, that he is building only upon an avowed speculation ; so that, before a third of the volume is over, what was introduced as a modest supposition assumes an air of confidence to which it is by: no means intitled.

Do we then object to Dr. Chalmers's having undertaken to answer an objection against Christianity derived from the supposition of a plurality of worlds? Certainly not; for though this objection does not appear to us to be very formidable, yet we think it quite right, as was before observed, that every thing that can add a feeling of confidence to the infidel, or weaken the faith of a single believer, should meet with its appropriate refutation. But then, in conducting this refutation, the main argument, we conceive,' ought to have been, What does the

objector know of the stars or their inhabitants? Before he attempt to shew that it is incredible that such a scheme as Christianity should have been contrived for our little world amidst the innumerable ones that he conjectures adorn the universe, let him prove that those worlds are inhabited by intelligent beings; for if he fail in this, his argument falls to the ground. Dr. Chalmers makes an appeal to the infidel's real or supposed knowledge. He might with more advantage have thus appealed to his ignorance; and, having shewn fully the absurdity of suffering the vague analogies of astronomy, in points beyond the reach of experimental investigation, to weigh against the high probability, nay, the demonstrative evidence of Revelation, he might then have properly proceeded to the line of thought on which his present lectures depend. Having shewn that the infidel acts counter to all the dictates of the Baconian philosophy, in making his mere conjecture the foundation of an argument on so important a subject; and having investigated the utter incompetency of man, with his best instruments, to establish the data upon which the supposed objection to Christianity is founded, he might have gone on to shew, that even on the admission of the objector's hypothesis, his conclusions by no means followed. I will give you, he might have said, all you ask; I concede to you, however doubtful the point may in reality be, that a plurality of worlds exists, and that they are constituted

exactly in the way modern astronomers conjecture;-but I deny your inference; I deny that Christianity loses a particle of its evidence by such a supposition. Thus Dr. Chalmers might have fairly advanced in his present track: not a page needs have been expunged; even his magnificent descriptions of the universe would not require to have been suppressed: the only difference would be, that, instead of laying down as true those vague speculations which it is impossible either to verify or disprove, he would have taken them up as the speculative objection of an adversary; and, whatever weight he might allow to them in his argument, would have still left the ultimate question open to discussion.

Dr. Chalmers, we are sure, will pardon these free remarks on a work which we have read with much delight, and of which it is the highest praise to say, that we hope shortly to see other produc tions from the same pen, with all the beauties, but without the peculiar faults, which we have had occasion to notice in the present volume. Having refuted the infidel, and effectually gained the ear of the public, we trust that Dr. Chalmers will not fail to improve this advantage to the utmost of his power, by bringing forward, with all the energies of which he is master, those important principles which immediately apply to the conversion and sanctification of the heart, and the consequent holy obedience of a Christian life.

LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE,

&c. &c.

GREAT BRITAIN. PREPARING for publication:-The Life of Richard Watson, Bishop of Llandaff; by his Son;-Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth; by Miss Lucy Aiken; CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 190.

-(by subscription) a practical Treatise on the Art of Painting on Glass; by Mr. Richard Hand; — History of Vaccination; by Mr. James Moore;—a Universal History, translated from the German of

4 K

John Müller;-and An Introduction to the first Principles of Algebra; by Mr. Cole, of Colchester.

Gold Sovereigns.-The denomination of "sovereign," which sounds at present rather strange to British ears, is far more ancient in the history of our coinage than that of guinea. The "sovereign," or double real, was first coined by Henry VII.; 224 of them being ordered to be coined out of a pound weight of gold, and to be current each for 20s. sterling. Mr. Ruding, in his annals of our coinage, just published, observes, that it does not appear upon what occasion they were first issued, but that their name arose from their being stamped with the figure of the sovereign upon his throne of state. At present they are very scarce. Sovereigns were also coined in the succeeding reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, Elizabeth, and James I. Guineas were first issued in 1663, at 20s. each; and at different periods after obtained different rates of value. They derived the name of guineas from the gold of which they were made being brought from the Guinea coast; and the African Company, as an encouragement to bring over gold to be coined were permitted by their charter to have the stamp of an elephant upon all coins made of African gold. - From the official return of the number of persons transported since the first of January, 1812, it appears, that the total number of male convicts is $988, and of females 671; of male convicts under the age of twenty-one, 980; and of females under twenty-one, 136. Among the two latter classes were five of 11 years of age; seven of 12; seventeen of 13; thirty-two of 14; sixty-five of 15; a hundred and one of 16; and a hundred and thirty-two of 17.

The Report of the National Vaccine Establishment for 1816 mentions a great increase in the number of persons lately vaccinated within the Bills of Mortality in London. It adds, that 47,874 persons in different parts of the kingdom have been vaccinated by means of the institution, of which number 16,185 have been vaccinated in the present year. The number of failures since the first establishment of the institution in 1809, is stated as one in 8592 cases. The report mentions likewise the great progress of the discovery in America, and upon the continent of Europe, and speaks with high commendations of the benevo

lent exertions of Dr. Francisco Xavier de Balmis, the court physician at Madrid, who has made a voyage round the globe for the purpose of diffusing the benefits of vaccination by lymph supplied entirely from England.

Professor Leslie, proceeding in his well-known experiments on artificial congelation, has made a further discovery, that parched oatmeal has a much stronger capacity of absorbing moisture than the substances he had used before. Three quarters of a pound froze nearly a quarter of a pound of water, and preserved it nearly twenty hours in the form of ice. A quantity of the meal one foot in diameter, and little more than one inch deep, froze a pound and a quarter of water. In the former experiment the meal absorbed the 18th part of its weight without losing more than one third of its desiccatory power.

Those of our readers who think that the goodly art of puffing is confined to the Western World, may perhaps be amused and instructed by the following translation of one of the Chinese papers occasionally found in chests of tea:"This capital tea, a transparent jewel, with a snowy crystalline bud, is the first under heaven; of an estimable description which is beautiful, and without defect, perfect and not able to be surpassed; of Hyson, the very right hand, anciently and universally established amongst distant people, from its praiseworthy flavour. This Hyson, having traversed hills and seas; sought from the heights of southern exalted mountains, which tower above the clouds, rises to that perfection, that being compared with other teas, it maintains the superiority. It has a fine odour, containing an extreme degree of excellence; having been received formerly, and at the present time with reverential eagerness, by persons of rural habits. These sprigs, of established reputation, are for people who travel, truly precious, having a manifestly laudable character, for their excellent and approved description. It possesses unceasing superiority, while prepared, with unremitted skill; its species, being beautiful and venerable, has inexhaustible virtue. This tea (of the high court), when first prepared and violently operated upon with hot water, has a superior faculty of performing wonders: its first buds and fibres, after three full and complete springs, are excellent, to remove vb

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