1240

V.20
1825
MONTHLY REPOSITORY

OF

THEOLOGY

AND

GENERAL LITERATURE.

- POPULUMQUE FALSIS

DEDOCET UTI
VOCIBUS.

Hor.

* To do something to instruct, but more to undeceive, the timid and admiring student;-
to excite him to place more confidence in his own strength, and less in the infallibility of
Great pames:to help him to emancipate his judgment from the shackles of authority ;-
teach him to distinguish between showy language and sound sense ;-to warn him not to pay
bimself with words ;-to shew him that what may tickle the ear or dazzle the imagination,
will not always inform the judgment ;-to dispose him rather to fast on ignorance than to
feed himself with error."

Fragment on Gomernment.

JANUARY TO DECEMBER, INCLUSIVE,

1825.

VOLUME XX.

ITINITY SCHOO)

LIBRARY
CARVARD UNIVERSITY

HACKNEY:
Printed for the Editor, by GeoRGE SMALLFIELD :

PUBLISHED BY SHERWOOD, GILBERT, AND PIPER,

PATERNOSTER-ROW.

1825.

Dr. Evans on Lord Byron's Infidelity.

Islington, his inind to overcome them. ResentSur, December 20, 1824. ment, anger and hatred held full sway W ANY years ago. I published over him, and his greatest gratification I I " An Attempt to account for at that time was in overcharging his the Infidelity of EDWARD Gibbon. pen with gall, which flowed in every diEsq.” Looking over its pages. I am reçtion-against individuals, his counsurprised to find that the causes there try, the world, the universe, creation assigned are applicable to the infidels anl the Creator! He might have beity of Lord BYRON. The Historian come--he ought to have been a difand the Poet were in many respects ferent creature; and he but too well similarly circumstanced. They lost

accounts for the unfortunate bias of either one or both their parents at an his disposition in the following lines : early period; they came in contact « E'en 1, least thinking of a thoughtless with fanaticism; and, passing much throng, of their time on the Continent, wit- Just skill'd to know the right and choose , nessed the disgusting mummeries of the wrong, Popery. Add also their thirst for Freed at that age when Reason's shield fame, which was absolutely inextin

is lost, guishable. It absorbed every other

To fight my course through Passion's passion; and, by running counter to

countless host,

Whom every path of Pleasure's flowery what they deemed the religious pre

way jndices of civilized society, they adopt. Has lured in turn, and all have led ed a never-failing means of wafting astray.'” their names to the ends of the earth. But justice demands that I should

What a deplorable picture of a man

of the first-rate talents, moving in the mention, one trait in Lord Byron is hi

highest ranks of society! * not to be found in Edward GIBBON

Another similarity may be traced -a love of dissipation and profligacy. between GIBBON and Byron in the The Historian was a learned recluse, attempts made to recover them from whilst the Poet was immersed in all the licentiousness of the fashionable

their infidelity. The common bene

volence of our natures must excite world.

pity for their state, besides the work“At this period of his life, (1809,)” says his friend Dallas, “his mind was

ings of that compassion which is the full of bitter discontent. Already sa:

peculiar offspring of our holy religion. tiated with pleasure, and disgusted with # LORD BYRON at this time having those companions who have no other published his maiden piece, entitled Hours resource, he had resolved on master- of Idleness, which was roughly handled ing his appetites. He broke up his by the Edinburgh Reviewers, amply reharams, and he reduced his palate to sented it by his satire, English Bards a diet the most simple and 'abstemic and Scotch Reviewers. He, however, now ous. But the passions of the heart went abroad - returned, and published were too mighty; nor did it ever enter

his Childe Harold, with the success of which he was intoxicated. Soon after,

he contracted his unfortunate marriage; * LORD BYRON was born at Dover, left the country for Italy, whence he his mother being on the way from France never meant to come back; and, finally, 10 England; and, losing his father soon migrated to Greece, where he died last after, she took her son with her to Aber. Easter, in the 37th year of his age. deen, in Scotland. Here he passed his He was on the eve of achieving deeds boyish days going thence to Harrow, of glory by assisting the noble-minded whence he withdrew to Cambridge, where Greeks, engaged in throwing off the gallcommenced his scepticism-and, coming ing and degrading yoke of the Turks, of age, he plunged into every species of who for centuries past have proved the gratification, even to satiety.

disgrace of the Eastern world, VOL. XX.