was, as any old lady of the same standing on the opposite side of the Atlantic. On leaving Wrington, we again passed Barley Wood on our return to Bristol; and I kept my eye on that charming spot till it was hidden behind the hill, though my imagination still lingers about it with unabated interest. I could not but reflect, when I heard Mrs. More converse, and recollected what she had been, and saw what she was, that her's was one of the most honored, useful and happy lives that the world has ever known. In her progress through life, she has diffused blessings at every step; and has probably contributed far more to elevate the standard of female education and female character, than any other person living. Her old age is rendered serene and cheerful by a review of her past life on the one hand, and by a firm trust in the Saviour on the other; and she is now waiting, in the bright hope of immortality, till her change come. Few indeed can hope to descend to the tomb like her, amidst the benedictions of a world; but there are none who may not aspire to that which constitutes her noblest distinctions-a life of faith and piety.-Letters from Europe.

PROFESSOR LEE.

One of the most extraordinary men of the age, is Professor Lee; whose history presents a singular instance of the triumph of native talent and persevering industry over obstacles, which would have repressed any spirit less ardent than his. He was brought up to the trade of a carpenter; and in that humble station, by his own unaided exertions, he not only became master of the classical languages of antiquity, but acquired a respectable knowledge of the Hebrew, and other oriental tongues. The first patron he found was a village school-master, by whose interest he was promoted to a station in the same humble employment;

but his extraordinary merits becoming more extensively known, he was sent to the University, where his progress in the languages fully justified the choice, which made him an object of noble patronage. Such at least was the account given me, of the first Oriental scholar of the age. On finishing his collegiate course, it was deemed an object of so much importance to secure the benefit of his talents to the university, that an act passed the Senate, and obtained the royal imprimatur, appointing him Professor of Oriental Literature, before he was of the statutable age. He is said to be master of sixteen different languages; and if his knowledge is less extensive than that of the late Sir William Jones, it has the advantage of being more accurate and thorough. It is incredible what an amount of labor he contrives to accomplish. Besides superintending the studies of twenty pupils in the Oriental languages, to whom he lectures every day, he corrects the press of the Bible Society in their editions of the Scriptures in the languages of the East-a herculean labor, demanding an accurate and critical knowlege of those tongues. All the tracts, pamphlets, and controversial writings, intended for the Arabs, Persians, &c., pass under his revision; and his pen had just been employed in composing a reply to the Persian Doctors, in the controversy begun by Henry Martyn. This, he said, had proved to him a work of great difficulty; for in Persian Theology, there was a vast number of technical terms not to be found in the lexicons, whose meaning must be sought by inspecting and comparing a great variety of passages in which they occur.

My first introduction to Professor Lee was by Mr. Franks, who called with me at his rooms; and I was also provided with letters to him from his friends in London. My imagination had pictured to me a man, grave, abstracted, meditative, difficult of

access, and impatient of having his cogitations interrupted; but nothing could be farther from the reality. He received me with a cordiality which I could have expected only from an old acquaintance; and began to turn over the proof-sheets on his table, to show me what he was about. Here lay pages of Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Persian, Hindoostanee, Orissee, and I know not what, in promiscuous confusion, with scraps of paper inscribed all over with the mysterious characters of Oriental lore. Having tumbled over the chaotic mass on the table, he handed down from the shelves of his library a variety of volumes and manuscripts; and in the space of a minute, I had put into my hands Myrtyn's New Testament in Hindoostanee, the Scriptures in Chinese, copies of the Bible printed in Calcutta, in Serampore, in St. Petersburgh, with a variety of polyglots of the Scriptures, and the Book of Common Prayer. In short, I found myself in company with one of the most active and enthusiastic spirits of the age. He showed us some proof-sheets of Martyn's controversy with the Persian Moolahs, which he has translated into English and is now publishing. The Persian Doctors, he observed had, more to say for themselves than was generally imagined;-they had made the most of their cause, and only had the misfortune to be on the wrong side. It is needless to say, that in conversing on his favorite subjects, he displays those rare gifts which he is known to possess. His mind appears to grasp the whole of its subject in an instant, and to pursue it with a rare combination of judgement and enthusiasm. It is the property of such minds to break down obstacles, or leap over them, in the pursuit of its object. At another visit, I found this walking Polyglot playing Scotch reels on a flute. He had just got a book of them, and was playing it through. With all his vast biblical learning and svere at

tention to study, he is one of the most cheerful men living, and has a placidity and eveness of temper which nothing can disturb. On my expressing a desire to be present at one of his lectures, he readily assented, and mentioned the hour when he was to meet his class. The subject happened to be the book of Jonah. He took the original Hebrew, reading and translating, while the students followed him on the pages of their own Hebrew Bibles. He stopped to explain difficult passages, and to correct what he considered to be mistranslations of the Septuagint. He supposed the sleep of Jonah in the storm to be a stupor of the faculties, produced by despair, and the severe rebukes of his conscience for endeavoring to evade a special commandment of God-a trance or state of lethargy, which deep sorrow is known to produce on the mind. He did not consider the 120,000 persons in Ninevah "who could not discern between their right hand and their left," as so many children, as some interpreters have done; and inferred from thence a most incredible population in the city;-but he thought it a proverbial expression, to denote the heathenish ignorance of the adult inhabitants. Half a million was probably the extent of the population, most of the space within the walls being appropriated to the support of the "much cattle” within the city, which was not solidly built like the cities in modern times. The lecture was highly interesting; and the students present exhibited, by the pertinency of their questions and remarks, no small share of acuteness and proficiency in biblical learning. Notes of a Trav. in England.

A RULE "TWICE BLESSED."

IT has been stated that, as a community, we pay eighty times as much money for ardent spirits as we give to objects of Christian benevolence.

Yet it cannot be denied, I think, that the moral necessities of the heathen are quite as pressing as our physical occasions can be, for the use of ardent spirits; and we should be in no danger of going beyond the rule of loving our neighbor as ourselves, were we to devote at least as much to the one purpose as to the other.

Suppose then that every Christian family adopt it as a resolution-that they will keep an account of what they spend for ardent spirits, and give an equal amount to the cause of Christian benevolence. Let them make a regular entry on their books, and at the end of each year balance the account. The general adoption of this rule would be attended with more happy results than one. Good would be done at all events. For if we continued to drink at our present rate,* there would be no want of money in the Lord's treasury; and if we drank less, we should acquire more ability and at the same time more disposition to aid the cause of Christ. We should in any event be either more charitable or more temperate,--or what is most probable, we should practise more of both these virtues.

Who then resolves for the present year to give as much for the salvation of the perishing as he will give to replenish his decanters? The writer of this will, for one.

PATERFAMILIAS.

Yet there are comparatively very few who manifest any active interest in them. And the reason is, these Societies propose nothing to be done. They set up no specific object to which our efforts are to be directed. They have their annual meeting and address, and circulate their tracts to convince the people of the evils of war-of which they were convinced already,-but beyond this I am not aware that they do, or propose any thing.

It is therefore not surprising that Peace Societies awaken so little zeal in the community. Other societies would be regarded with the same apathy, if in like manner, their operations consisted only in talking about the evils they proposed to remedy.

I know it is difficult to give as much definiteness of measures to a Peace Society as to a Missionary or a Bible Society. Yet it is obvious that unless something of this character can be imparted to them, they may nearly as well not exist.

As one step towards giving them this character I make the following suggestion.

The United States' Government in all its foreign negociations has certain propositions to which it endeavors to gain the consent of other nations. One of these propositions is a perfect reciprocity in trade; another is, the making of the slavetrade piracy; another, the disallowing of privateering in a state of war. These belong to what has been called the "American policy." Now let it be one object of Peace Societies to induce the national government to add to these noble subjects of philanthropic diplomacy, THE ABOLITION OF WAR ITSELF, and the reference of all international difficulties to a court of nations. Such a court is practicable. I have no doubt it will one day be established; and the United States or Great Britain will take the lead, and both will cooperate, in effecting so desirable an object.

If the cause of Peace could be

got up in this form, and be carried into Congress and into Parliament, and enlist the zeal of such men as Wilberforce and many like him, it would then become an object of attention; and attracting to its discus

sion the best talents, both within and without the hall of legislation, would demonstrate to the world, how far the object is or is not practicable, of inducing the nations to keep themselves from bloodshed. PAX.

Lectures on Infant Baptism. By LEONARD WOODS, D. D. Abbot Professor of Christian Theology in the Theological Seminary, Andover. Andover: 1828. pp. 174. 12mo.

AMONG the benefits connected with our theological institutions it deserves to be mentioned, that they are adapted to qualify a number of individuals for the discussion and defence of the truths of Christianity. There are obvious reasons why the churches should look to the men who hold the office of teachers in these institutions, for the most able and useful dissertations concerning the truths which they embrace. It may reasonably be expected that no small obligations will in this manner be conferred on the Christian commu. nity by these gentlemen. should, as doubtless they will, esteem themselves bound, so far as God has given them ability, to teach not only from the professor's chair, but also from the press. Of this thing the little volume now before us is a valuable specimen. After repeated perusal we hesitate not to pronounce it, taken as a whole among the best productions on this controverted subject which we have seen.

They

The Professor has given to his discussion a degree of originality hardly to have been expected, on a subject which has occupied so many pens. He has, according to the intention announced near the commencement, followed the course of his own thoughts; and though his matter may not be strictly new, still

some parts of it at least are presented in a somewhat new and more instructive form. His remarks especially on the kind of evidence which should be demanded in support of infant baptism are of much value, and, duly considered, must go far towards putting an end to controversy on the subject. From several considerations, and with much ingenuity, Dr. Woods has made it to appear, that direct and positive divine injunctions requiring the observance of pædobaptism, are more than we have a right to demand or expect, and that the want of such injunctions in the word of God, and of the explicit mention that this practice was observed by inspired men, is, to say no more, no evidence that it is not consistent with the great Head of the church that the offspring of his people should be baptized.

The discussion of Dr. Woods is also characterized by clearness and ability. His thoughts have all the advantage which can arise from a lucid arrangement. One topic is fully disposed of before another is introduced: and all which he says is obviously the result of patient and careful reflection. The weak parts which many times occur in the argumentation of those who in the main write with ability, are not here to be seen. At every step we trace the operations of a mind long accustomed to distinguish between true and false reasoning. The discussion is also thorough. It brings into view every important source of light, and presents every consideration which can be deemed essential in settling

the question at issue. In this point of view, as well as in others, these lectures are worthy to be studied by our theological students as a standard book.

That the reasoning which they contain will convince persons who have long been accustomed to think and practise differently from the author in respect to pædobaptism, is not to be expected: and yet for ourselves we must be permitted to state it as our decided impression that this reasoning cannot be fairly set aside; that the arguments here produced in support of the sentiments and the usages of our churches are incapable of being answered. In a special manner does the argument for infant baptism from the Saviour's commission to the apostles, appear in the hands of Dr. Woods in new strength, and well adapted to produce conviction. He reasons irresistibly to show that from the circumstances attending the announcement of this commission the persons to whom it was given must have understood the command to baptise as including the infants of believers as well as believers themselves.

The argument from ecclesiastical history, we think the author has treated as of less importance, and urged it with less force, than the subject admits. In this argument may be found no small part of the strength of the pædobaptist cause. The argument is substantially as follows. Within somewhat less than one hundred years from the time of the apostles we find, from unquestionable testimony, that the practice of infant baptism was in general use. But from all we know of human society and of the workings of the human mind, it is impossible to account for this fact on any other supposition than that this practice had a divine origin; that it was introduced by Christ and his apostles. We find, moreover, that for several centuries at least, subsequent to this time, the baptism of infants was continued in the church

these facts are admitted we see not how our Baptist brethren can consistently maintain that infants are not proper subjects of this rite. Not that we would rely on human opinion or practice merely as authority in matters of religion; but for the present we must regard the early commencement, and the general diffusion of the practice in question as evidence that it had no human origin. We cannot conceive that any man or any body of men would have had influence to introduce a practice of this nature, for which neither the author of our religion nor his inspired agents give authority. Had there been nothing else known on the subject, the plain fact that infant bap tism generally prevailed in the Christian church at so early an age, must have created a strong presumption that it was from heaven.

In addition to the other merits of the little volume before us, it ought to be stated that it is composed throughout in a truly candid and Christian spirit. In this respect Dr. Woods has set an example most worthy of imitation. Happy indeed would it be for the cause of truth and righteousness, if all who write on subjects of religious controversy would exhibit the temper which these pages manifest. It is painful evidence of the weakness and the sinfulness of man that in discussing topics connected with the eternal welfare of the soul he has so often exhibited a spirit the very reverse of what appeared in the followers of Christ, and caused even the heathen about them to exclaim, "See how these Christians love one another." In polemic theology the object of contention has often been victory; and this object has been sought by most unfair and unhallowed means. The disputants overlooking their obligations to mutual kindness and brotherly love, have maifested little else than a desire to trample each other in the dust. Nothing of this kind