View of Publick Affairs.

dissention in the Cortes, and in the nation at large. This we do not credit. Yet the charge, in connexion with the circumstances on which it is grounded, possesses some plausibility. Whether the whole is a party fabrication, or something more se rious, time must decide.

For ourselves, the skeptick's sneer notwithstanding, we avow, that while we would avoid any thing like confident prediction, we are disposed to form our judgment of what is most likely to happen in the affairs of states and kingdoms, from their national acts and measures, as being either in harmony with the moral law of God, or in violation of some of those grand principles of equity, justice and benevolence, on a regard to which the happiness of the whole human race depends. Now, with this rule of judging in view, and in view also of the well ascertained fact, that France especially, and Spain and Portugal in degree, are extensively prosecuting the infernal African slave trade, with the connivance and approbation of their several governments, and in violation of solemn treaty stipulations, we do anticipate that these nations are about to be severely scourged in the providence of God. In what way or to what extent this scourging is to take place, we presume not to say. But their dreadful moral pravity and inhumanity, in the particular we have mentioned, damps all our cheering expectations that they should speedily find themselves in a state of prosperity, happiness, and peace." Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right"-and will he give liberty and social blessings to those who are taking them, as far as they can, from one whole quarter of the globe? The Greeks, we are happy to observe, appear by the latest and most authentick accounts, to be gaining a complete ascendancy in the Morea or ancient Peloponnesus. Indeed it would appear that their conquests in the Peninsula have left them in almost the undisturbed possession of that part of the land of their fathers, and that they are driving their oppressors out of the more northerly parts of their country. The ways of Providence are often mysterious. We certainly think that guilt rests on the nations of European Christendom, in not preventing, as it seems to us that they might, the horrible atrocities which the Greeks have suffered from the Turks and to the existing generation these sufferings have indeed been extreme and awful. Yet if the Greeks establish their liberty without any foreign aid or interference, it will afford them an opportunity infinitely more favourable than they could otherwise have enjoyed, to consult their social happiness, and to establish a government most conducive to their lasting prosperity and peace. We hope that

MAY,

the Holy Alliance, after leaving them to
struggle against their oppressors, will not
undertake to dictate to them, if they shall
become free. Yet this is by no means
beyond the region of probabilities.

In looking from the old world to the
new, we still observe the greater portion
of the southern part of our continent in
such a state of convulsion and confusion
as to leave us much at a loss to conjecture,
not only when, but how it will terminate.
Colombia we consider as having establish-
ed its independence, and a government
which in its main features promises to be
stable; and it is with much pleasure we
remark by the latest advices from Europe
that Great Britain is about to recognise
in Colombia an independent state, and
that Spain is likely to consent to this re-
cognition, and probably to declare what
she has hitherto claimed as her South
American colonies, to be free and inde-
pendent states. How, indeed, can Spain
and Portugal consistently maintain their
right to change their government at their
pleasure, while they deny this right to
regions of country in America, in com-
parison with which they are inconsidera-
ble in territory, and in a few years must
be so in population?

In Mexico it would seem that the empire of Iturbide has come to an end; and if, as is stated in the publick prints, he has escaped with his life and a large part of his wealth, we think he ought to consider himself as peculiarly fortunate. If any thing could appear strange which takes place in these regions, we should think it so, that a large majority of the Portuguese in the Brazils, seem dotingly fond of regal state and absolute power, at the very time they have refused to submit to it, as claimed to be exercised over them by the mother country, and when the mother country herself is forming a representative government. We suspect that the time will come when it will be found that emperors and kings cannot exist in any part of the American continent.

We turn from the disturbed and hazardous state of other nations and peoplefrom "wars and rumours of wars"-to our own free, and peaceful, and comparatively happy country. Something yet remains among us of the baneful spirit of party; passionate and greedy contentions for office and emolument occasion some inquietude and vexation; the piratical depredations committed on our commerce in the West Indies are not yet terminated; and the savage spirit of duelling, our nation's reproach and shame, is as vindictive and murderous as ever. Yet these evils affect but a small part of the community, and--except in the matter of piracy-those chiefly who choose to be affected by them. So happy a population, in mass, as that

which is found in the United States, exists not elsewhere, we verily believe, on the face of the globe. We would desire to say this, not in a spirit of boasting, or so as to indulge in ourselves or cherish in others, that national vainglory, with which we fear our country is sometimes too justly charged; but we would say it with a sincere desire to promote in ourselves and in our readers, a sense of our great indebtedness to the Sovereign Disposer of all events, who, without any meritorious claims on our part, "hath made us to differ." We would say it as a reason why we, as Christian advocates, should earnestly plead with our fellow citizens to be unfeignedly and humbly thankful to the God of providence and grace, for the innumerable blessings, both of a temporal and spiritual kind, which He "gives us richly to enjoy."-Let us be mindful that our obligations are great, and that our responsibility is high. Let us be sensible that our gratitude ought to be manifested by

deep repentance for our many sins, by an immediate renunciation and dereliction of them as individuals, and by doing all in our power to promote reformation among others in whatever is offensive-and much there is among us highly offensive-to Him "who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and who cannot look on iniquity." Let us feel our obligations to abound in all the works of charity, piety, and benevolence; to pray for, and endeavour to promote the revival, in every part of our land, of a pure and undefiled religion, and to extend the blessings of the gospel to the heathen and the Jews; to sympathize truly with those who are destitute of the blessings which we enjoy; and earnestly to supplicate the throne of mercy, that wars may speedily cease to "the ends of the earth;" and the time come, when all the kingdoms of the world shall "become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."

TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS.

ATTICUS will appear in our next.

A VISIT TO THE HOVEL OF POVERTY, and REMARKS ON THE ATONEMENT, with special reference to its extent, are under consideration.

The course which Andrew Anthropos has suggested in his note, shall, in his case, be pursued.

We intended, and fully expected to give, in our present number, a review of Professor LINDSLY's sermons, recently published. We are, however, obliged to delay this review, with some notice of several other sermons, till the coming month.

We do not well know how to make a communication which we find it necessary to make, in the manner most proper for ourselves, and the least likely to be offensive to our Correspondents. We think, on the whole, that a plain matter of fact statement will be the best.-A part of those who favour us with literary contributions for the Christian Advocate, write so bad or so careless a hand, and crowd the pages of their interlined manuscripts so closely, and take so little pains with their compositions altogether, that to decipher, correct, and prepare them for the press, is a labour which we cannot engage to continue. We propose, therefore, to discontinue it, as soon as we shall be furnished with a sufficient quantity of communications, more legible and better digested: and we are happy in believing that relief is approaching-slowly indeed, but yet sensibly. At present, the complaint we make does not relate to much more than half of those who endeavour to help us with their literary labours. We take pleasure in acknowledging that some of the pieces which are sent us, are written in a fair hand, on letter paper, or on foolscap folded in quarto-that every other page is left blank, and a suitable margin is allowed to that which contains the manuscript-and that evidence is not lacking that a good portion of lima labor has been employed on the composition, before it left the hands of the authors-0 si sic omnia!-And that this, on the present occasion, may not prove altogether an idle wish, we beg to suggest to our writing friends, particularly to those who have not yet formed inveterate habits, that they cannot better

consult their own improvement, than by studying accuracy and neatnessto say nothing of elegance-in all they write. Good composition must always proceed from clear and orderly thinking, and from a judicious selection and collocation of words; and nothing tends more directly to invigorate and improve the intellectual powers, than a habit of such thinking, and frequent endeavours to express it with perspicuity, precision, and strength.

A gentleman who was educated at the University of Edinburgh, nearly half a century since, once told us, that in his time, at that university, it used frequently to be mentioned as a strong proof of the facility with which David Hume made his various publications, that he could send the third transcript to the press. We know, indeed, that the habits of composition are very different, in different persons: that some compose, much more than others, in their minds, before they put any thing on paper. We have heard too, oftener than we could have wished, of the wonderful rapidity and accuracy with which Dr. Johnson could write and print-sometimes without even reading over what he had hastily penned, or dictated to an amanuensis. Be it so-only write as well as he did, and no one certainly will have a right to complain of the manner in which you effect it. But of this be well assured, that Dr. Johnson must not be made the standard for common minds. He could do with ease, what most men, of excellent talents too, will never be able to achieve. Yet even he, never did what idlers and sciolists plead as a justification for themselves, till he had acquired the power of doing it, by much and laborious thinking, and by long and rigorous habits of correct expression. And it is, perhaps, not generally known, that a comparison of the first edition of his Rambler with the last, will show that he altered and corrected a great deal, and always for the better, as that celebrated work was passing from one impression to another.

In general, we are not to expect excellence in hasty composition. It is usually the product only of patient and mature thought, the expression of which has been rendered just by a careful revision and correction. A young writer, especially, ought never to think of publishing a first copy. After that copy has received all the emendations and improvements which he can give it, he should transcribe it fairly; and this transcript itself will usually need as many changes and interlineations, as ought in all reason to be left, for the trial of an editor's and a printer's patience.-We did not intend to say so much on this subject, when we entered upon it. But we have allowed ourselves to go forward, from the full conviction that it is not an unimportant subject. Many of those who write with a view to publication, seem to have no conception of the pains which they must take, if they ever write what will be worth the reading-or what will actually be read. One object of our work is to promote literature, in subserviency to religion. And we verily believe that we should render a most important service to religion, if we could induce those who discuss its sacred topicks publickly, to do it in a manner more worthy of their hallowed theme.-Not surely with wordy declamation and gaudy ornament, but with chaste simplicity, lucid statement, and natural gracefulness. There is a sad want of this in our country, in many of those who write and speak on religious subjects: and if our humble labours may have any influence in producing a change for the better, the best of causes will be served, and all concerned will be profited.-We certainly shall be relieved from a portion of drudgery, which we have lately found in no small degree oppressive.

THE

CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.

JUNE, 1823.

Keligious Communications.

LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATE gion, this is considered as the point