spirit and character were a living illustration of that definition of the Apostle-Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen! He appeared to me never to be exercised with doubts and fears. His magnanimity entered most strikingly into his religious character. He was convinced and satisfied by all the divine declarations and promises --and he left himself with unsuspecting confidence, in God's hands.*

I quote Mr. Wilson's testimony to the PATIENCE of our friend UNDER AFFLICTIONS. "He was not only, in opposition to all the tendencies of his natural dispositions, resigned, but cheerful under his trials. I have seen him repeatedly, at his Living in the country, return from his ride racked with pain; pale, emaciated, speechless. I have seen him throw himself all along upon his sofa, on his face, and cover his forehead with his hands; and there, without an expression of complaint, endure the paroxysm of his disorder: and I have been astonished to observe him rise up in an instant, with his wonted dignity, and enter upon conversation with cheerfulness and vigour. He has often acknowledged to me, that the anguish he felt was like a dagger plunged into his side, and that through a whole summer he has not had two nights free from tormenting pain. Such were his sufferings for ten or twelve years previous to his last illness. And yet this was the man, or rather this was the

*Mr. Wilson justly remarks of our friend, that "the determination and grandeur of his mind, displayed his faith to peculiar advantage. This divine principle quite realized and substantiated to him the things which are not seen and eternal. It was absolutely like another sense. The things of time were as nothing. Every thing that came before him was referred to a spiritual standard. His one great object was fixed, and this object engrossed his whole soul. Here his foot stood immoveable, as on a rock. His hold on the truths of the Scriptures was so firm, that he acted on them boldly and unreservedly. He went all lengths, and risked all consequences, on the word and promise of God.”

Christian, from whose lips I never heard a murmuring word."

It is almost needless to add, that Mr. Cecil possessed REMARKABLE DECISION OF CHARACter. When he went to Oxford he had made a resolution of restricting himself to a quarter of an hour daily, in playing the violin; on which instrument he greatly excelled, and of which he was extravagantly fond: but he found it impracticable to adhere to his determination; and had so frequently to lament the loss of time in this fascinating amusement, that, with the noble spirit which characterized him through life, he cut his strings, and never afterward replaced them. He studied for a painter; and, after he had changed his object, retained a fondness and taste for the art: he was once called to visit a sick lady, in whose room there was a painting which so strongly attracted his notice, that he found his attention diverted from the sick person, and absorbed by the painting: from that moment he formed the resolution of mortifying a taste, which he found so intrusive, and so obstructive to him in his nobler pursuits; and determined never afterward to frequent the exhibition.

Nor was his INTREPID AND INFLEXIBLE FIRMNESS less conspicuous, whenever the interests of truth, and the honour of Christ were concerned. The world in arms would not have appalled him, while the glory of Christ was in his view. Nor do I believe that he would have hesitated for a moment, after he had given to nature her just tribute of feeling and of tears, to go forth from his family, and join the "noble army of martyrs" who expired in the flames in Smithfield, had the honour of his Master called him to this sacrifice: nor would his knees have trembled, nor his look changed.

Yet cannot I but add, this firmness never degenerated into rudeness. He knew and observed all those decencies of life which render mutual intercourse

agreeable; and he had that ease of manner, among all classes of society, which bespoke perfect selfpossession and a thorough knowledge of the world. His address in meeting the manners and habits of thinking, of persons of rank, either when they were inquiring into religion or under affliction, was perhaps scarcely to be equalled.

The associations in our friend's mind were often of a very humorous kind. He had a strong natural turn for associations of this nature, which threw a great vivacity and charm over his familiar conversationemployed as it was, in the main, like every faculty of his mind, for useful ends. He was fully aware, however, of the danger of possessing such a faculty, and the temptations to which it exposed him; prompted and supported, as it was, by a buoyancy of spirits, which even great and lengthened pain could scarcely subdue. I have looked at him, and listened to him, with astonishment-when, meeting with a few other young men occasionally at his house, we have found him dejected and worn out with pain-stretched on his sofa, and declining to join in our conversation--till he caught an interest in what was passing-when the question of an inquiring or burdened conscience has roused him to an exertion of his great mind-he has risen from his sofa-he has forgot his suffering-and has left us nothing to do but to admire and treasure up most profound and impressive remarks on the Scripture, on the heart, and on the world!

The mention of his humour and his vivacity of spirits, leads me to remark, that I am not writing a panegyric, but drawing a character. No character can be faithful, while the best original is such as he must be in the present state, if it carry no shades. I have no wish to conceal the shades of this extraordinary character. Sternness and levity were the two constitutional evils which most severely exercised him. They seem to have been the necessary result.

in an imperfect being, of the union of that masculine and original vigour with humour and an ardent fancy, which met in the structure of his mind. So far, indeed, had grace triumphed over these constitutional enemies, that the very opposite features were the most prominent in his character; and no one could approach him without feeling himself with a most TENDER and SERIOUS mind. I speak of those occasional ebullitions which tended to remind him, that, though he was invested with a new and triumphant nature, he was yet at home in the body, and subject to the recurrence of his constitutional infirmities.

Yet, though Mr. Cecil felt, occasionally, temptations to levity, through the buoyancy and spring of his animal spirits, his prevailing temper was of a quite opposite description. A sensibility of spirit, with his view of human nature and of the world, threw a cast of MELANCHOLY over his mind. He was far more disposed to weep over the guilt and misery of man, than to smile at his follies. "I have," said he, "a salient principle in me. My spirits never sink. Yet I have a strong dash of melancholy. It is a high and exquisite feeling. When I first wake in the morning, I could often weep with pleasure. The holy calm-the silence-the freshness-thrill through my soul. At such moments, I should feel the presence of any person to be intrusion and impertinence, and common affairs nauseous. The stillness of an empty house is paradise to me. The man who has never felt thus, cannot be made to understand what I mean.

6

"Hooker's dying thought," he added, "is congenial to my spirit. I am going to leave a world disordered, and a church disorganized, for a world and a church where every angel, and every rank of angel, stand before the throne in the very post God has assigned them.' I am obliged habitually to turn my eye from the wretched disorders of the world and the

church, to the beauty, harmony, meekness, and glory of the better world."

On another occasion, he said "I have been long in the habit of viewing every thing around me as in a state of ALIENATION. I have no hold on my dearest comforts. My children must separate from me. One has his lot cast in one place, and another elsewhere. It may be my particular leading, but I have never leaned toward my comforts without finding them give way. A sharp warning has met me-These are aliens, and as an alien live thou among them.' We may use our comforts by the way. We may take up the pitcher to drink, but the moment we begin to admire, God will, in love, dash it to pieces. But I feel no such alienation from the church. I am united to Christ and to all his glorified and living members, by an indissoluble bond. Here my mind can centre and sympathize, without suspicion or fear."

66

"I feel," he would say, "a congeniality with the character of Jeremiah. I seem to understand him. I could approach him, and feel encouraged to familiarity. It is not so with Elijah or Ezekiel. There is a rigour and severity about them which seem to repel me to a distance, and excite reverence rather than sympathy and love."

In a very interesting case, on which I consulted him, he gave me a striking view of this feature of his character "I should have fallen myself into an utterly different mode of conducting the affair. But you have not the melancholy in your constitution which I have, and therefore to look for my mode of the thing in you, would be expecting what ought not to be expected. This is a strong alterative in your dispensation. Now I have long been in the habit of viewing every thing of that aspect rather in a melancholy light. You are standing on the justice, the reason, the truth of your cause. I should have heard