12. This is the translation of the Holy Scriptures now in common use amongst us; and since that time there has been no authorised version of any part of the sacred volume. The excellency of it is such as might be expected, from the judicious care with which it was conducted, and the joint labors of the many distinguished men employed upon it. "It is," says Dr. Gray, "a most wonderful and incomparable work, equally remarkable for the general fidelity of its construction, and the magnificent simplicity of its language.”

PATRIOTS AND MARTYRS.

PATRIOTS have toil'd, and in their country's cause
Bled nobly; and their deeds, as they deserve,
Receive proud recompense. We give in charge
Their names to the sweet lyre. Th' historic muse,
Proud of the treasure, marches with it down
To latest times; and sculpture, in her turn,
Gives bond in stone and ever-during brass
To guard them, and t' immortalize her trust;
But fairer wreaths are due, though never paid,
To those, who, posted at the shrine of Truth,
Have fallen in her defence. A patriot's blood,
Well spent in such a strife, may earn indeed,
And for a time ensure, to his lov'd land,
The sweets of liberty and equal laws;
But martyrs struggle for a brighter prize,
And win it with more pain. Their blood is shed
In confirmation of the noblest claim-
Our claim to feed upon immortal truth,
To walk with God, to be divinely free,
To soar, and to anticipate the skies!

Yet few remember them. They liv'd unknown,
Till persecution dragg'd them into fame,

And chas'd them up to heaven. Their ashes flew
-No marble tells us whither. With their names
No bard embalms and sanctifies his song !
And history, so warm on meaner themes,
Is cold on this. She execrates indeed
The tyranny that doom'd them to the fire,
But gives the glorious sufferers little praise.

N

THE ORDER OF JESUITS.

1. In defending the citadel of Pampeluna, Ignatio Loyola, a Biscayan gentleman, was dangerously wounded. During the progress of a lingering cure, Loyola happened to have no other amusement than what he found in reading the lives of the saints. The effect of this on his mind, naturally enthusiastic, but ambitious and daring, was to inspire him with such a desire of emulating the glory of these fabulous worthies of the Romish church, as led him into the wildest and most extravagant adventures, which terminated at last in instituting the society of Jesuits, the most political and best regulated of all the monastic orders, and from which mankind have derived more advantages and received greater injury, than from any other of those religious fraternities.

2. When men take a view of the rapid progress of this society towards wealth and power; when they contemplate the admirable prudence with which it has been governed; when they attend to the persevering and systematic spirit with which its schemes have been carried on; they are apt to ascribe such a singular institution to the superior wisdom of its founder, and to suppose that he had formed and digested his plan with profound policy. But the Jesuits, as well as the other monastic orders, are indebted for the existence of their order rather to the enthusiasm than to the wisdom of their founder. The wild adventures, and visionary schemes, in which his enthusiasm engaged him, equal any thing in the legends of the Romish saints; but are unworthy of notice in history.

3. Prompted by this fanatical spirit, or incited by the love of power and distinction, from which such pretenders to superior sanctity are not exempt, Loyola was ambitious of becoming the founder of a religious order. The plan which he formed of its constitution and laws, was suggested, as he gave out, and as his followers still teach, by the immediate inspiration of heaven. But notwithstanding this high pretension, his design met at first with violent opposition. The pope, to whom Loyola had applied for the sanction of his

Who was the founder of the order of Jesuits?-Under what circumstances was he led to the establishment of it?-Are the Jesuite indebted to the superior wisdom, or to the enthusiasm, of Loyola ?

authority to confirm the institution, referred his petition to a committee of cardinals. They represented the establishment to be unnecessary as well as dangerous; and Paul refused to grant his approbation of it. At last, Loyola removed all his scruples, by an offer which it was impossible for any pope to resist. He proposed, that besides the three Vows, of poverty, of chastity, and of monastic obedience, which are common to all the orders of regulars, the members of this society should take a fourth vow, of obedience to the pope, binding themselves to go whithersoever he should command, for the service of religion, and without requiring any thing from the holy see for their support.

4. At a time when the papal authority had received such a shock, by the revolt of many nations from the Romish church; at a time when every part of the popish system was attacked with so much violence and success, the acquisition of a body of men thus peculiarly devoted to the see of Rome, and whom it might set in opposition to all its enemies, was an object of the highest consequence. Paul, instantly perceiving this, confirmed the institution of the Jesuits, by his bull; granted the most ample privileges to the members of the society; and appointed Loyola to be.the first general of the order. The event has fully justified Paul's discernment, in expecting such beneficial consequences to the see of Rome from this institution. In less than half a century, the society obtained establishments in every country that adhered to the Roman Catholic Church-its power and wealth increased amazingly; the number of its members became great; their character, as well as their accomplishments, were still greater; and the Jesuits were celebrated by the friends, and dreaded by the enemies of the Romish faith, as the most able and enterprising order in the Church.

5. The primary object of almost all the monastic orders, is to separate men from the world, and from any concern in its affairs. In the solitude and silence of the cloister, the monk is called to work out his own salvation, by extraordinary acts of mortification and piety. He is dead to the world, and ought not to mingle in its transactions. He can be of no benefit to mankind but by his example, and by his pray

On what conditions did the pope consent to the establishment of the order of Jesuits?-What is the primary object of most of the mo nastie orders?

ers. On the contrary, the Jesuits are taught to consider themselves as formed for action. They are chosen soldiers, bound to exert themselves continually in the service of God, and of the pope, his vicar on earth. Whatever tends to instruct the ignorant, whatever can be of use to reclaim, or to oppose, the enemies of the holy see, is their proper object. That they may have full leisure for this active service, they are totally exempted from those functions, the performance of which is the chief business of other monks. They appear in no processions; they practise no rigorous austerities; they do not consume one half of their time in the repetition of tedious offices. But they are required to attend to all the transactions of the world, on account of the influence which these may have upon religion; they are directed to study the disposition of persons in high rank, and to cultivate their friendship; and by the very constitution, as well as genius of the order, a spirit of action and intrigue is infused into all its members.

6. As the object of the society of Jesuits differed fron that of the other monastic orders, the diversity was no less in the form of its government. The other orders are to be considered as voluntary associations, in which whatever affects the whole body, is regulated by the common suffrage of all its members. The executive power is vested in the persons placed at the head of each convent, or of the whole society; the legislative authority resides in the community. Affairs of moment, relating to particular convents, are determined in conventual chapters; such as respect the whole order, are considered in general congregations. But Loyola, full of the ideas of implicit obedience, which he had derived from his military profession, appointed, that the government of his order should be purely monarchical. A general chosen for life, by deputies from the several provinces, possessed power that was supreme and independent, extending to every person, and to every case.

7. This general, by his sole authority nominated provincials, rectors, and every other officer employed in the government of the society, and could remove them at pleasure. In him was vested the sovereign administration of the revenues and funds of the order. Every member belonging to it was at

What was the government of the order of Jesuits?

his disposal; and by his uncontrollable mandate, he could impose on them any task, or employ them in what service soever he pleased. To his commands they were required not only to yield outward obedience, but to resign up to him the inclinations of their own wills, and the sentiments of their own understandings. They were to listen to his injunctions, as if they had been uttered by Christ himself. Under his direction, they were to be mere passive instruments, like clay in the hands of the potter, or like dead carcasses, incapable of resistance. Such a singular form of policy could not fail to impress its character on all the members of the order, and to give a peculiar force to all its operations. There is not, in the annals of mankind, any example of such a perfect despotism, exercised, not over monks, shut up in the cells of a convent, but over men dispersed among all the nations of the earth.

8. As it was the professed intention of the order of Jesuits' to labor with unwearied zeal in promoting the salvation of men, this engaged them, of course, in many active functions. From their first institution, they considered the education of youth as their peculiar province; they aimed at being spiritual guides and confessors; they preached frequently in order to instruct the people; they set out as missionaries to convert unbelieving nations. The novelty of the institution, as well as the singularity of its objects, procured the order many admirers and patrons. The governors of the society had the address to avail themselves of every circumstance in its favor, and in a short time the number as well as the influence of its members increased wonderfully.

9. Even before the expiration of the sixteenth century, the Jesuits had obtained the chief direction of the education of youth in every Catholic country in Europe. They had become the confessors of almost all its monarchs, a function of no small importance in any reign; but under a weak prince, superior even to that of minister. They were the spiritual guides of almost every person eminent for rank or power. They possessed the highest degree of confidence and interest with the papal court, as the most able and zealous champions for its authority. The advantages which an active and enterprising body of men might derive from all these circumstances, are obvious. They formed the minds of men in their youth. They retained an ascendant over them in their