ed after them, and had heard that they "both died raving mad in Bengal:" whereas Mr. Fuller informs us that Mr. Thomas, though his mind was deranged a month or two at one period of his life, yet died sane and happy; and that, as far as is known, Parbotee is still alive, that at least he was so in 1806, having been then seen by a friend of the missionaries, who left India that year.

Our quotations must conclude with the following paragraph.

"Some of these converts," (says Major S. W.) "have been expelled for gross immorality." True, and what then?"Such I am confident would be the fate of the remainder, were not the missionaries afraid of being laughed at."-But why should he imagine this? Does he think the Hindoos all bad men? or do they become such when they embrace Christianity? And why should the missionaries be supposed to retain bad men in their society for fear of being laughed at? Had they feared this, they had never engaged in the work. Did they fear this, they would not exclude so many as they do; or at least would not report it in their letters. I may add, it is not long since they had a fair opportunity to have entirely desisted from their work, and that in a way that would not have incurred the laughter, but possibly the commendation, of these men. They might also from that time have gone on to accumulate fortunes, instead of sacrificing every thing in a cause which they knew, it seems, at the same time to be hopeless. p. 90.

An interesting appendix is added, the substance of which consists of Swartz's celebrated apology, and a very long letter from a gentleman in India, addressed to Dr. Vincent, and published in the Report of the Society for promoting Christian knowledge, a letter which, if it were not anony mous, would be most valuable as a description of the actual moral condition of the people of India.

Since reading the Letter to Mr. Owen, we have received a third very large pamphlet of Major Scott Waring; we shall therefore reserve our comments on this writer for this latest, as yet, of his performances. The Letter to Mr. Owen is scarcely any thing more than a repetition, in the most shapeless disorder, of all that he had said in the Preface to his Observations. Never mortal was so "invincibly attached" to the phrases and sentences he has once written, as this. They are incessantly returning upon him, and he seems bound bysome vow to let them into his page as often as they come. so much of his pamphlet were deducted as consists of sheer iteration, it would hardly retain one fourth of its bulk. The author really now appears to us to stand some chance of silencing his opponents, by absolute stress of playing a sort of game of anagram on his own compositions, transposing a few favourite sentences and propositions into every possible change

If

of series by which a new paragraph can be made, and thus multiplying pamphlets without end.

The due quantity of characteristic scurrility is not wanting in this Letter, though it is not so much applied to Mr. Owen, as to the missionaries, and all who have any manner of connexion with them; yet the writer very humourously proposes to "preserve the manners of gentlemen in arguing the question." But by far the most amusing and novel part of the performance, and indeed one of the best specimens of the ludicrous that we remember to have seen, is a very long and grave and laborious profession of his Christian faith, combined with a history of his theological studies; from all which it would appear, that the man against whom so many of us, indiscreetly, have more than insinuated a suspicion that he has no Christianity at all, and is scarcely acquainted with the bible, that even this very man is deep read in divinity, has been closeted many years with expositors and polemics, has an illuminated comprehension and profound veneration of the doctrines of the bible, has been the associate of devout and learned bishops and clergymen, was moved by piety of supererogation to read prayers to his regiment when in the military service in India, and, in fine, holds in due and most consistent abhorrence Voltaire, evangelical clergymen, sectarians, and those British subjects, if there are any, who would crush Christianity in India." If his readers had been so

fortunate as to know all this before, they certainly would not have been guilty of so much illiberality towards him; they would have comprehended that indignation at the profane insults offered by the missionaries to the Indian abominations, and a sincere attachment to Christianity, were very compa tible and consistent feelings in a mind, that can at once entertain veneration for the New Testament, and antipathy against what are usually termed "evangelical" views of Christianity.

We shall not forget some parts of this pamphlet, in our notice of that which is since come to our hands.

Art. XI. Judgment and Mercy for afflicted Souls: or Meditations, Soliloquies, and Prayers. By Francis Quarles. A New Edition, with a Biographical and Critical Introduction; by Reginalde Wolfe, Esq. Ixiv. 332. Price 76. 6d. bds. Longman and Co. 1808.

Svo. PP.

THE

name of Francis Quarles is little known to the generality of readers, except in association with his "Emblems. Mr. Wolfe is intitled to our thanks for bringing forward a new edition of his "Meditations," a work of respectable merit and excellent tendency, and which certainly deserves more popularity than it has hitherto attained. The

plan of these meditations is thus concisely delineated by the editor.

The author' divides his book into two parts; in the first, he introduces various immoral characters, indulging themselves in studied commendations (under the most plausible modes of reasoning) of their particular habits and pursuits: but, immediately afterwards, certain prohibi-. tory texts of Scripture occur to them, which produces contrition and remorse; these are followed by a soliloquy on the heinousness of their sins, and by a prayer that they may be forgiven.

In the second part, the characters are not absolutely immoral, but appear to be overwhelmed by their miseries and afflictions. After some reflections on their wretched state, a soliloquy and prayer ensue; the former of which, as in the first part, reproves, and the latter adminis ters consolation.' Pref. pp.

iv. v.

These meditations are composed with much force of thought, exuberance of fancy, and richness of diction; the constant pomp of phrase, the rotundity of period, the parallelisms and antitheses for which they are remarkable, perpetually remind us of the pages of Johnson. Unhappily, the author was not gifted with that quick and delicate perception of propriety, which men of fervid temperaments so greatly need, and so commonly want; and the age in which he lived could fur-" nish scarcely any teachers, or specimens, or rules, of what is correct in literary taste. It may therefore be naturally supposed, that the work is not free from quaintuess, coarseness, puerility, or extravagance. The genuine excellences, however, with which it abounds, are, in our opinion, amply sufficient to protect it from severe censure, and justify its redemption from neglect. We shall select an entire specimen from the first series of characters; and we take that of the Hypocrite, not as pre-eminent in merit or utility, but as peculiarly displaying the author's manner, sentiments, and prejudices.

'THE HYPOCRITE.

His Prevarication.

There is no stuff to make a cloak of like religion! nothing so fashienable, nothing so profitable: it is a livery wherein a wise man may serve two masters, God and the world, and make a gainful service by either. I serve both, and in both, myself, by prevaricating with both.

66

* In the second part, there is probably less genius than in the first; although the style is freer from vulgarisms and eccentricities of expression but we are told by Quarles's widow, that this second part was taken from the author by a sly hand, and presently printed without his knowledge; so that, as in like cases it always happens, it came forth much unsuitable to the author's mind, both in the form and matter of it." See Ursula Quarles's Address to the "Courteous Reader," prefixed to the Second Part, post. p. 173.'

Before man, none serves his God with more severe devotion; for which, among the best of men, I work my own ends, and serve myself. In private I serve the world, not with so strict devotion, but with more delight; where, fulfilling of her servants' lusts, I work my end, and serve myself. The house of prayer who more frequents than I? In all Christian duties who more forward than I? I fast with those that fast, that I may eat with those that eat: I mourn with those that mourn: no hand more open to the cause than mine, and in their families none prays longer and with louder zeal Thus, when the opinion of a holy life hath cried the goodness of my conscience up, my trade can lack no custom, my wares can want no price, my words can need no credit, my actions can lack no praise. If I am covetous, it is interpreted providence; if miserable, it is counted temperance: if melancholy, it is construed godly sorrow; if merry, it is voted spiritual joy; if I be rich, it is thought the blessing of a godly life; if poor; supposed the fruit of conscionable dealing; if I be well spoken of, it is the merit of holy conversation; if ill, it is the malice of malignants. Thus I sail with every wind, and have my end in all conditions. This cloak in summer keeps me cool, in winter warm, and hides the nasty bag of all my secret lusts. Under this cloak I walk in public, fairly, with applause; and in private, sin securely without offence, and officiate wisely without discovery. I compass sea and land to make a proselyte, and no sooner made, but he makes me. At a fast I cry Geneva, and at a feast I cry Rome. If I be poor, I counterfeit abundance to save my credit; if rich, I dissemble poverty to save charges. I most frequent schismatical lectures, which I find most profitable; from whence learning to divulge and maintain new doctrines, they maintain me in suppers thrice a week. I use the help of a lie, sometimes as a religious stratagem, to uphold the Gospel; and I colour oppression, with God's judgment executed upon the wicked. Charity I hold an extraordinary duty, therefore not ordinarily to be performed. What I openly reprove abroad for my own profit, that I secretly act at home, for my own pleasure.

But stay, I see a hand-writing in my heart, which damps my soul; 'tis charactered in these sad words,

The congregation of the hypocrites shall be desolate. Job. xv. 34.

The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment. Job, xx. 5.

The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath; they die in their youth, and their life is amongst the unclean. Job, xxxvi. 13. 14.

An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour; but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. Psal. xi. 9.

Woe be to you hypocrites. Matth. xxiii. 13.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Luke xii. 1.

His Soliloquy.

How like a living sepulchre did I appear! without, beautified with gold and rich invention; within, nothing but a loathed corruption. So long as this fair sepulchre was closed, it passed for a curious monument

of the builder's art; but being opened by these spiritual keys, 'tis nothing but a receptacle of offensive putrefaction. In what a nasty dungeon hast thou, my soul, so long remained unstifled! How wert thou wedded to thy own corruptions, that couldst endure thy unsavoury filthiness! The world loved me, because I seemed good: God hated me, because he knew me to be wicked. I had no friend but myself, and that friend was my bosom enemy. O my soul, is there water enough in Jordan to cleanse thee? Hath Gilead balm enough to heal thy superannuated sores? I have sinned; I am convinced; I am convicted. God's mercy is above dimensions, when sinners have not sinned beyond repentance. Art thou, my soul, truly penitent for thy sin? Thou hast free interest in his mercy. Fall then, my soul, before his mercy-seat; and he will crown thy penitence with his pardon.

of

His Prayer.

O God, before the brightness of whose all-discerning eye the secrets my heart appear; before whose clear omniscience the very entrails of my soul lie open: who art a God of righteousness and truth, and lovest uprightness in the inward parts; how can I choose but fear to thrust into thy glorions presence, or move my sinful lips to call upon that name, which I so often have dishonoured, and made a cloak to hide the baseness of my close transgressions? Lord, when I look into the progress of my filthy life, my guilty conscience calls me to so strict account, and reflects to me so large an inventory of my presumptuous sins, that I commit a greater sin, in thinking them more infinite than thy mercy. But, Lord, thy mercies have no date, nor is thy goodness circumscribed. The gates of thy compassion are always open to a broken heart, and promise entertainment to a contrite spirit. The burden of my sins is grievous, and the remembrance of my hypocrisy is intolerable. I have sinned against thy Majesty with a high hand, but I repent me from the bottom of an humble heart. As thou hast therefore given me sorrow for my sins, so crown that gift in the freeness of remission. Be fully reconciled to me, through the all-sufficient merits of thy Son, my Saviour; and seal in my afflicted heart the full assurance of thy gracious favour. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let me praise thee with a single heart; cleanse thou my inward parts, O God, and purify the closet of my polluted soul. Fix thou my heart, O thou Searcher of all secrets, and keep my affections wholly to thee. Remove from me all bye and base respects, that I may serve thee with an upright spirit. Take not the word of truth out of my mouth, nor give me over to deceitful lips. Give me an inward reverence of thy Majesty, that I may openly confess thee in the truth of my sincerity. Be thou the only object and end of all my actions, and let thy honour be my great reward. Let not the hopes of filthy lucre, or the praise of men, incline me to thee; neither let the pleasures of the world, nor the fears of any loss, entice me from thee. Keep from me those judgments my hypocrisy hath deserved, and strengthen my resolution to abhor my former life. Give ne strength, O God, to serve thee with a perfect heart, in the newness of life, that I may be delivered from the old man, and the snares of death. Then shall I praise thee with my entire affections, and glorify thy name for ever and ever.' pp. 51-59.