contemplated his dissolution with pleasure. It is remarkable, that the scripture no where lays any stress upon the feelings which distinguish the hour of death, or holds up any remarkable example of a death-bed scene, as a model for imitation, or a proof of true religion. In fact, its great aim is to direct the attention to a proof far less equivocal than feelings dependent upon circumstances; the tenor of a holy life spent in conformity to the word of God. An erroneous idea is also frequently entertained concerning the true nature of a christian departure. Mere tranquillity, nay, abounding hope and triumphant assurance, form, of themselves, no just and clear indication of the right state of the soul. A different standard of excellence, or proof of the reality of religion, must not be assumed for the hour of death from that which was justly laid down for the vigour of health. In both seasons it is not the excellence of one grace or virtue which stamps the character, but rather the possession of all, the uniform and complete conformity of the tempers and conduct to the delineation of them exhibited in the scripture. Upon a death-bed, therefore, no peculiar or new graces are called into action, but the solemnity of the circumstances, and the greatness of the occasion, will heighten and exalt them all. Not only should faith be more lively than usual, or hope be elevated to assurance, but repentance ought to be deeper, humility more profound, charity more fervent and extensive, resignation more perfect, love to God of a purer kind, and obedience to his will more conspicuous. Judging by this rule, we confess that we are not entirely satisfied with the frame of mind the Doctor appeared to possess, as far as we can judge of it from the narrative of his friends. We could wish to have heard the language of humiliation, and should have been glad to perceive the traces of a reverential awe at the prospect of appearing before the judge of the earth. Such just and suitable feelings have marked and, we may truly add, adorned the closing scene of some of the wisest * and dern times, and who seems to have assumed the mask of virtue for no other purpose, than that of propagating, with more suceess, the blackest vice, says, in that very work which contains a confession of his crimes, that no man can come to the throne of God, and say, I am a better man than Rousseau. And just before he expired, he observed to his mistress, "Ah! my dear, how happy a thing it is to die when one has no reason for remorse or self-reproach!" Then addressing himself to the Almighty, he said, "Eternal Being! the soul that I am going to give thee back, is as pure, at this moment, as it was when it proceeded from thee; render it partaker of thy felicity," * The dying expressions of Hooker oc best of men. It would have given us pleasure also to have heard the promises of the gospel urged to cheer the fainting spirits, to confirm the doubting mind, and to encourage the well-founded expectations of penitence and faith. Above all, we looked with earnest desire (and we deeply regret our disappointment) to have seen the mention of that adorable name, which, curring to us while we were writing this paragraph, we insert them in this note, not as exhibiting the best illustration which might be found of the last moments of an excellent man, but as sufficiently expressing that general assemblage of christian dispositions on which we have insisted. "After receiving the blessed sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord, his friend Dr. Saravia, who attended him, thought he saw a reverend gaiety and joy in his face; but it lasted not long, for his bodily infirmities did return suddenly, and became more visible, insomuch that the Doctor apprehended death ready to seize him, Yet, after some amendment, he left him at night with a promise to return early the day following, which he did, and then found him better in appearance, deep in contemplation, and not inclinable to discourse, which gave the Doctor occasion to require his present thoughts: to which he replied, ' That he was meditating the number and nature of angels, and their blessed obedience and order, without which peace could not be in heaven; and, oh! that it might be so on earth. After which words, he said, I have lived to see this world is made up of perturbations, and I have been long preparing to leave it, and gathering comfort for the dreadful hour of making my account with God, which I now apprehend to be near; and though I have, by his grace, loved him in my youth, and feared him in mine age, and laboured to have a conscience void of offence to him and to all men; yet, if thou, O Lord, be extreme to mark what I have done amiss who can abide it; and, therefore, where I have failed, Lord, shew mercy to me, for I plead not my righteousness but the forgiveness of my unrighteousness, for his merits who died to purchase a pardon for penitent sinners: and since I owe thee a death, Lord, let it not be terrible, and then take thine oren time. I submit to it. Let not mine, O Lord, but let thy will be done.' With which expression he fell into a dangerous slumber, dangerous as to his recovery; yet recover be did, but it was to speak only these few words-" Good Doctor, God hath heard my daily petitions, for I am at peace with all men, and he is at peace with me, and from which blessed assurance I feel that inward joy which this world can neither give nor take from me.' More he would have spoken, but his spirits failed him; and after a short conflict betwixt nature and death, a quiet sigh put a period to his last breath, and so he fell asleep."-Walton's Life of Hooker. unto all who believe, is precious above every name that is named in heaven or in earth. It could not, indeed, have been introduced, according to the Doctor's systein, as the foundation of hope, but it might, one would conceive, according to any system which professes to be built upon the scriptures, have been mentioned with that affection, veneration, and gratitude with which the inspired writers, as well as good men in every age, haye uniformly spoken of it. As a substitute for that ancient foundation of hope, faith in the atonement of the Son of God, the Doctor rests upon the expectation of universal salvation. This is well calculated, we acknowledge, to allay apprehension. Indeed, there cannot be much ground for alarm, when it is believed that there is no worm which dieth not, and no fire that is not quenched. It is very consoling to look upon God as only preparing all his creatures for final happiness, by different degrees of discipline suited to their different tempers, The encouragement this idea holds out is of a very general and extensive kind; for it affords hope alike to all, and nearly annihilates all distinction of character. But our readers will, probably, agree with us that it is a ground of hope never mentioned by the inspired writers; that the great founder of our religion evidently directed the weight of his influence to establish a contrary belief, and that whoever rests upon it, must deny or explain away the obvious declarations of scripture. We are told, indeed, that the Doctor diligently perused the sacred writings; but we feel our confidence in this mark of regard for those holy volumes much diminished, by reflecting on the unwarrantable liberties he was accustomed to take with them, on his rejection of the authority of an evangelist, on his denial of the conclusiveness of the arguments of an apostle, on the ingenuity exercised to explain away the obvious sense, or the boldness with which he refused to submit to the plain declarations of scripture. The mere study of scripture is of little moment compared with the humility with which its dictates are received, and the ready submission of the mind to its authority. Indeed we conceive, that the leading defect in the Doctor's mind, from the first, was a want of humility. He formed his system from his own reasoning, and then endeavoured to accommodate the scripture to it, instead of humbly receiving his creed from scripture and casting down every imagination of his mind which opposed it. This was his fundamental error, and it naturally led him to cherish a spirit of rash innovation, inconsistent with cool deliberation or sound judgment. Yielding himself to the influence of this spirit, he trampled with disdain upon the bounds which the wisdom and piety of former ages had fixed. He became a reformer in religion with the same indiscriminate zeal with which the jacobins attacked antient establishments. There may, undoubtedly, exist evils in government; there may be popular errors in religion, but it is very material to mark well the spirit and views of the person who attacks the one or the other. It has been justly looked upon as the wisdom and glory of the British Senate, to ascertain precisely the limits of any proposed change, to deliberate cautiously, to determine slowly, even to treat with reverence accustomed prejudices, to reform with a temperate hand and in a gradual manner. But it was the character and reproach of jacobinism to abolish, by acclamation, the existing constitutions, and to rase to its foundation the antient edifices of government. We conceive that the Doctor, in the reforms he would have introduced into religion, has acted in a spirit somewhat similar to that of the jacobin. He was daring, rash, impetuous; he wanted the modest diffidence which a just regard to the authority of the wise, and a proper sense of the limited extent of the human understanding will always inspire. That the Doctor was sincere in the principles he held we doubt not, ard that his principles were calculated to free bis mind from alarming apprehensions, and produce tranquillity at the hour of death, we readily allow. But God forbid we should consider this as any evidence of their truth. By their conformity to scripture, and by the fruits they produce, they must be tried. It is useful also to remark, that in judging of the fruits which any principles produce, we must take our examples from the general cast of those who hold them, not from the solitary instances of the leaders of a party. The latter necessarily feel the influence of other considerations. Epicurus himself was sober and temperate, though his principles led to intemperance, and his disciples were generally corrupt. It is necessary also to examine the nature of the fruits which any principles produce, by the rules which scripture has laid down. They must be the fruits of christian holiness. Are the Socinians, taken as a body, the most humble of those who bear the christian name? Are they the most devout, the most heavenly-minded, the most watchful against sin? By the answer to these questions, should their pretensions be determined as far as the moral effect of principles determines their truth. It is with reluctance we speak of any persons who have gone to give their ac count to their judge, in a manner which may seem disrespectful to them. The importance, however, of the truth will, we trust, justify the freedom of our remarks on this well known person. We should have rejoiced to have recorded in these pages the edifying example of the departure of a christian divine, rather than, what appears to us, the tranquil death of a mere philosopher. DEATHS. April 12. At the Vicarage, aged fortyfive, the Reverend JOSEPH DACRE CARLYLE, Vicar of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Chancellor of Carlisle, Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge, and Chaplain to the Bishop of Durham. Mr. Carlyle was a man of eminent abilities and learning. Of his proficiency in Oriental literature, and his correct and elegant taste, the world has already had a very favourable specimen in his Translations of Seicct Pieces of Arabic Poetry. But the interests of religion, no less than those of literature, have sustained a severe loss in his death; since it will at least retard the appearance of the Arabic Bible, which he had undertaken to publish, and for which every preparation had been already made; and must put an entire stop to his great and favourite project of giving a complete edition of the New Testament in Greek, which was to contain not only the various readings collected by Mill, Bengelius, Wetstein, Griesbach, and Matthæi, but also those of more than thirty Greek Manuscripts which he had collected during his residence and travels in the Turkish Empire, together with a new and accurate collation of the Syriac and other ancient versions. With his Dissertation on the Troad, and Observations made during his Tour through Lesser Asia, Syria, and Egypt, the public may hope to be gratified. The extent of Mr. Carlyle's acquirements, and the ardour of his literary pursuits, render his death a general loss: but those who knew him in the private walks of life, and who had an opportunity of witnessing the urbanity of his manners, the cheerfulness of his conversation, his unassuming modesty, and active benevolence, will have other and deeper causes of regret. He lived, esteemed and respected; he dies, sincerely lamented by all who had the happiness of his acquaint ance. Feb. 27. At Elbet field, in Germany, Lady SYKES, wife of Sir Francis William Sykes, of Besaldon Park, niece to the Duchess of Chandos and Lord Henniker. She was in her twenty-fifth year, and was far advanced in pregnancy at the time of her decease. March 7. At Elberfeld, in Germany, Sir FRANCIS WILLIAM SYKES, Bart. of a scarlet fever, which he caught by his attendance on his lady, who died on the 27th of the preceding month. April 5. At Vicar's Hill, near Lymington, in his eightieth year, the Reverend WILLIAM GILPIN, Vicar of Boldre. A few days ago, the Reverend CHARLES CHAUNCY, Rector of Ayott St. Peter's, Herts. The Reverend JAMES COTTINGHAM, D. D. Vicar-general of the Diocese of Kilmore, Ireland. March 20. The Reverend HENRY WINTOUR, Prebendary of St. Paul's. The Reverend P. B. BRODIE, M. A. Rector of Winterslow. At the Deanery-house, Norwich, Mrs. TURNER, wife of the Reverend Dr. Tur ner. At Holywell, in Huntingdonshire, the Reverend B. HUTCHINSON. In Ely-place, Dublin, Sir ALEXANDER SCHOMBERG, Knt. At Milding Parsonage-house, Mrs. SANDERSON, wife of the Reverend W. Sanderson. On the 12th instant, after a lingering illness, ROBERT, Earl of KINNOULL, Viscount Dupplin, Baron Hay, at his seat Dupplin Castle, in the county of Perth. His lordship was the eldest son of the late Archbishop of York. March 22. At his house on the Clapham Road, of convulsion fits, which continued three days, JOHN COCK, Esq. formerly of Wood-street, Cheapside. March 23. At Brighton, in the thirtysixth year of his age, JOHN FORDYCE, Esq. of Ardo, in Kincardineshire, and of Birchin lane, London. March 24. At Woodstock, Oxfordshire, THOMAS WALKER, Esq. aged eighty, many years Receiver-general of the same county. Lately, at Lyme Regis, Dorsetshire, ROBERT CLARK, Esq. in the seventy-second year of his age, and nearly fifty years a magistrate of that borough. Lately, at Gilcomston, in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, FLORA MACLEOD, at the uncommon age of one hundred and four. She retained her senses and recollection to the last. March 24. At Hand Cross, Mr. HOWELL, Builder, of Brighton, and one of the greatest proprietors of lodging-houses in that town; he was also a proprietor of one of the stage coaches, from that place to London. Mr. Howell was, on his road to town ou Thursday, attacked by a fit of apoplexy, near the inn where he died, and did not speak afterwards, till within a few hours of his death. March 26. Mrs. KILLICK, wife of JOHN Killick, Esq. of Hackney Mills, and daughter of the late Alderman Hamerton. April 6. In Park-place, JAMES BOURCHIER, Esq. formerly an officer in the fifth regiment of foot. April 7. At Wareham Dorsetshire, DaVID ERSKINE, Esq. first cousin to the Earl of Kellie. April 8. In the sixty-seventh year of his age, after a long and painful illness, which he bores with manly fortitude, POWELL SNELL, Esq. of Guiting Grauge, in the county of Gloucester. Same day, in Pall-mall, in the seventysecond year of her age, Mrs. EDGAR, relict of the late Mileson Edgar, Esq. of the Red House, Ipswich. April 8. At Bath, Lieutenant-general Pacey V. co. Warwick, vice Nicholson, deHORNECK. April 10. In his twelfth year, in Berkley-square, Lord Viscount BURY, eldest son of the Earl of Albemarle, Lately, in Ireland, ROGER BYRNE, the famous Irish Giant. He is said to have died of suffocation, occasioned by an extremity of fat, which stopped the play of his lungs. He was in the forty-fifth year of his age: his coffin, with its contents, weighed fifty-two stone; it was borne on a very long bier by thirty men, who were relieved at intervals. He was thirteen stone heavier than the noted Bright, of Maldon, whose waistcoat inclosed seven persons. April 4. At Twickenham, aged twentyeight, the Lady of Michael Jones, Esq. Same day, Mrs PYNE, wife of John Pyne, Esq. at Oving-house, Buckinghamshire. April 4. At Trevor-hall, near Llangollen, TREVOR LLOYD, one of his Majesty's justices of the peace for the county of Denbigh. ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS. Rev. James Sperling, M. A. Lammarsh R. Essex, vice Hurlock. Rev. Brownlow Villiers Layard, Uffington R. co. Lincoln, Rev. Thomas Cantley, B. D. Stratford St. Mary R. Suffolk. Rev. Thomas Herring, M. A. Ringstead St. Peter and St. Andrew R. Norfolk. Rev. Charles Bethune, M. A. Wanstrow R. co. Somerset. Rev. Horatio Dashwood, B. A. Caistor St. Edmund with Marketshall R. Norfolk. Rev. George Preston, M. A. Briston V. Norfolk. Rev. John Hepworth, M. A. Gunton R. with Hanworth V. annexed, and Suffield R. co. Norfolk. Rev. Thomas Sedgwick, B. A. Mirfield V. co. York, vice Cookson, deceased. Rev. Dr. Taylor, rector of Wotton, Surrey, collated to Chichester Archdeaconry; and Rev. John Pratt, of Orpington, Sodlescomb R. Sussex; both vice Allcock, deceased. ceased. Rev. Pocock, master of the grammar-school at Frotne, Lullington R. co. Somerset, vice Walters, deceased. Rev. Henry Wintour, to a prebendal stall in St. Paul's cathedral. Rev. Alexander Richardson, M. A. Takely V. Essex. Rev. Bedford. Oakley, Tottenhoe V. co. Rev. A. B. Haden, to an endowed lectureship in the collegiate church of St. Pe ter, Wolverhampton, vice Walker, resigned. Rev. Benjamin Heming, Kilvington R. co. Nottingham. Rev. Atwell Lake, St. Peter R. West Lynn, Norfolk. Rev. Joseph Walcam, Compton-Abdale perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Bristol, vice Page, deceased. Rev. William Coxe, M. A. rector of Bemerton, elected a canon-residentiary of Salisbury cathedral, vice Colton, deceased; and Rev. J. Guard, B. D. installed prebendary of Slape, in that cathedral. Rev. John Craufurd, West Markham V. co. Nottingham. Rev. James Willins, M. A. Melton St. Mary and All Saints RR. Norfolk, and St. Michael Coslany R. Norwich, vice Story, deceased. Hon. and Rev. Edw. Rice, M. A. Suttonon-the-Forest V. co. York, vice Cheap, deceased. Rev. Rob. Gray, M. A. rector of Craike, co. York, collated to a prebendal stall in Durham cathedral; Rev. W. L. Bowles, to a prebendal stall in Salisbury cathedral; and Rev. Charles Ekins, M. A. son of the Dean of Salisbury, elected a canon-residentiary of that cathedral; all vice Ogle, deceased. Rev. J. Allinson, of Packington, Thurnby R. near Leicester. Rev. Charles Anson, M. A. Mautby R. Norfolk, vice Buckeridge, deceased. Rev. Mr. Pitchford, to be a minor canon of Durham cathedral. Rev. Latham Wainewright, Great Brickhill R. Bucks. Rev. Richard Williams, M. A. vicar of Rev. James Fielding, Wonersh V. Sur- Puddington, co. Bedford, and curate of St. rey, vice Hill, deceased. Rev. John Rush, LL. B. Hartwell cum Hampden R. Bucks. Rev. William Gimingham, M. A. St. Dionis Backchurch R. London, vice Lynch, deceased. Rev. Joshua Hird, M. A. Munxton R. Hants, vice Hawtrey, deceased. Rev. William Kelk, B. A. Sudbrook R. co. Lincoln. Rev. John Halton, Clapham V. near Settle, co. York, vice Currer, deceased. Rev. Francis Skurray, Imber living, co. Wilts; and Rev. Bevans, Shrivenham, V. Berks, both vice Cotton, deceased. Rev. Joseph Golding, M. A. NewboldCHRIST. OBSERY, No. 28. Giles, in Northampton, Bulpham R. Essex, vice Cuthbert, deceased. Rev. Joseph Ireland, jun. Craglin R. co. Cumberland. Rev. H. T. Laye, Pickering V. co. York, vice Harding, deceased. POSTSCRIPT. REMARKS ON THE STATE OF PARTIES. WE esteem it to be one part of our duty, to apprize our readers of the alterations which arise in the state of political parties, and occasionally to offer a few dispassionate remarks on that subject. Most of the public prints are accustomed to lavish their praise so freely, and to bestow their censure so unmercifully on public characters, that they have the appearance of being employed as the instruments of differ ent parties; and it is by the communication of their heat that the political pas sions of the whole country are inflamed. We would humbly hope that the Christian Observer will contribute, so far as its influence shall extend, to assuage the violence of party spirit, and to inspire candour and moderation in politics, without, at the same time, being neutral on public questions, or insensible to the superiority of one public character over another. * A few weeks ago, Mr. Fox and Mr. Windham formed a junction for the purpose of more effectually opposing the ministry of Mr. Addington. What may have been the precise nature and conditions of this union the public does not know. We have, however, been recently assured by Mr. Fox, that there is no circumstance respecting it "which might not be proclaimed at Charing Cross." A complete co-operation in parliament between these two able leaders has followed.; and their professed object is to overthrow an administration which is declared by them to be utterly incompetent to the management of public affairs at the present crisis; and no opportunity has been lost by either of them of exposing the real or supposed errors of Mr. Addington. Mr. Pitt appears to have been unwilling to unite himself with either of these gentlemen. Indeed his disinclination to coalesce entirely with Mr. Windham and his party, is commonly supposed to have been the occasion of the junction between Mr. Windhim and Mr. Fox. Mr. Pitt, however, has recently taken a very forward and decisive part against administration; These gentlemen were formerly united against the administration of Mr. Pitt, but since the French revolution, they have been violently opposed to each other. and there appears to be a certain degree of present co-operation and good understanding between him and the new coalition. On Mr. Pitt's motion for a naval enquiry, a few weeks ago, Mr. Fox employed his eloquence in such a manner as to cast a nearly equal censure on Mr. Pitt and Mr. Addington; and he supported the motion, only on the ground of the extraordinary merit of the first Lord of the Admiralty. The papers which the ministry refused, and which Mr. Pitt called for, on the ground of their being expected to prove the negligence and misconduct of the Admiralty Board, would, according to Mr. Fox, exalt the character of his friend, Lord St. Vincent. It is remarkable that Mr. Sheridan on this occasion united in sentiment with his friend Mr. Fox, for he also praised the Admiralty, but voted with Mr. Addington, on the ground that the papers were unneces sary; though he has since voted with opposition. Mr. Addington's majority on this question amounted to 71. On the 24th April, Mr. Fox moved in the House of Commons, "that it be referred to a committee of the whole house to revise the several bills for the defence of the country, and to consider of such further measures as may be necessary to make that defence more complete and permanent." This motion was powerfully supported by Mr. Pitt, who declared that neither in respect to the navy, nor any one branch of the military defence, was the country in that state in which it ought to be placed; and he concluded a speech full of strong animadversions, by observing, that such being should not fulfil his duty to his soverthe opinions which he entertained, he eign, or to the nation, if he were not openly and explicitly to declare those sentiments in parliament. The numbers on this occasion in favour of the ministry, were 256; in favour of Mr. Fox's motion, 204; majority only 52. On the 26th April, a motion was made by Mr. Pitt, of which the ob ject was to postpone for a fortnight a bill proposed by government for sus pending the Army of Reserve Bill, with the view of introducing in its place a measure of greater efficiency suggested by himself. Mr. Fox and Mr. Windham supported the motion of |