No colour from the fleeting things without; Born from the knowledge of his own desert. Thou didst not tempt me, and thou couldst not tempt me; 3 [The Demons disappear. Аввот. [MANFRED expires. Cold-cold-even to the heart- Whither? I dread to think-but he is gone.' pp. 73-75. We acquit the noble Author of any design to burlesque the awful realities which he brings upon the scene; but, to make use of a very homely expression, the poet, in these passages is playing with edge tools. Manfred tells the abbot, in another part, To be my mediator.'1 Does this infer the Author's conviction of the necessity of a mediator not a mortal? We hope that it does: but these are not subjects for a dramatic poem. Upon the whole, this manuscript was scarcely worth being transmitted from the Continent: it will not raise Lord Byron's reputation. Art. VII. Pastoral Letters on Nonconformity. Addressed to a young Member of a Society of Protestant Dissenters, 12mo. pp. xvi. 126. Price 3s. 6d. Black and Son, 1817. THERE are two extremes against which it is equally necessary to guard in all matters of religious controversy, and especially in those to which these Pastoral Letters' refer. The one is, that'esprit du corps,' that vehemence of party spirit which magnifies the most trifling points of difference, into legitimate grounds of separation; the other is, that false candour, which would represent questions of vital importance, as doubtful or indifferent. Time was, when the danger lay almost exclusively on the side of the former of these extremes, and when good men, men of sound wisdom and exemplary piety, were induced by various circumstances to place an undue stress on matters in themselves unimportant and trifling, contending either for or against them with all the zeal and earnestness that usually attach to polemical discusssions. But in the present day, the danger lies, we appreliend, chiefly on the other side, since it is evident that questions so deeply interesting as those which relate to the order, the constitution, and the government of the Christian Church, are treated by many persons as matters of speculation on which it is of little importance to decide. The work before us, is adinirably adapted, so far as it goes, to guard against both these extremes, and is therefore peculiarly fitted to the present state of the Christian Church. It breathes all that spirit of love and universal benevolence, by which the present period is happily distinguished; combined with that inflexible adherence to essential principles, which truth inust ever demand. A disposition has lately prevailed, not only among members of the Establishment, but even among many who are accustomed to worship with Protestant Dissenters, to condemn altogether any discussion of these topics, in what spirit soever that discussion may be conducted, as uncalled for and highly injudicious in the present day. Is this a moment,' say they, in which to revive the controversy, when the best men on either side are in the frequent habit of meeting and co-operating together in support of religious institutions? Is it not most ill-judged at such an auspicious season to provoke hostilities, and induce alienation of mind among the most zealous 'defenders of our common faith? No: let us rather forget our little differences, intent upon prosecuting the great work in which we are unitedly engaged.' We will yield to none in our attachment to peace and Christian union; yet we do conceive that even these blessings are too dearly purchased, if they are obtained by the unhallowed compromise or abandonment of any part of revealed truth. There are indeed times, and places, in which a strict neutrality should be kept, and in which it should be as slightly remembered as possible, that such distinctions exist as those of Churchman and Dissenter. Whatever may be the violations of neutrality on the part of members of the Establishment, we should exceedingly regret that any case should occur, and we do not believe it has occurred, in which a Dissenter meeting with his brethren of the endowed sect, for a common purpose, and, on neutral ground, should commence an assault by obtruding his peculia tenets, or boasting of the greater purity and excellence of his mode of worship. But when each party retires to its own post, bearing, it may be hoped, some portion pl that hallowed feeling which pervaded the assembly, that No colour from the fleeting things without; Thou didst not tempt me, and thou couldst not tempt me; [The Demons disappear. ABBOT. Alas! how pale thou art-thy lips are white- Аввот. [MANFRED expires. Cold-cold-even to the heart But yet one prayer-alas! how fares it with thee?- Whither? I dread to think-but he is gone.' pp. 73-75 We acquit the noble Author of any design to burlesque the awful realities which he brings upon the scene; but, to make use of a very homely expression, the poet, in these passages is playing with edge tools. Manfred tells the abbot, in another part, ⚫ I shall not choose a mortab ་་་ To be my mediator.' Does this infer the Author's conviction of the necessity of a mediator not a mortal? We hope that it does: but these are not subjects for a dramatic poem. Upon the whole, this manuscript was scarcely worth being transmitted froin the Continent: it will not raise Lord Byron's reputation. Art. VII. Pastoral Letters on Nonconformity. Addressed to a young Member of a Society of Protestant Dissenters, 12mo. pp. xvi. 126. Price 3s. 6d. Black and Son, 1817. THERE HERE are two extremes against which it is equally necessary to guard in all matters of religious controversy, and especially in those to which these Pastoral Letters' refer. The one is, that esprit du corps,' that vehemence of party spirit which magnifies the most trifling points of difference, into legitimate grounds of separation; the other is, that false candour, which would represent questions of vital importance, as doubtful or indifferent. Time was, when the danger lay almost exclusively on the side of the former of these extremes, and when good men, men of sound wisdom and exemplary piety, were induced by various circumstances to place an undue stress on matters in themselves unimportant and trifling, contending either for or against them with all the zeal and earnestness that usually attach to polemical discusssions. But in the present day, the danger lies, we apprehend, chiefly on the other side, since it is evident that questions so deeply interesting as those which relate to the order, the constitution, and the government of the Christian Church, are treated by many persons as matters of speculation on which it is of little importance to decide. The work before us, is admirably adapted, so far as it goes, to guard against both these extremes, and is therefore peculiarly fitted to the present state of the Christian Church. It breathes all that spirit of love and universal benevolence, by which the present period is happily distinguished; combined with that inflexible adherence to essential principles, which truth inust ever demand. A-disposition has lately prevailed, not only among members of the Establishment, but even among many who are accustomed to worship with Protestant Dissenters, to condemn altogether any discussion of these topics, in what spirit soever that discussion may be conducted, as uncalled for and highly injudicious in the present day. Is this a moment,' say they, in which to revive the controversy, when the best men on either side are in the frequent habit of meeting and co-operating together in support of religious institutions? Is it not most ill-judged at such an auspicious season to provoke hostilities, and induce alienation of mind among the most zealous defenders of our common faith? No: let us rather forget our little differences, intent upon prosecuting the great work in $5 which we are unitedly engaged.' We will yield to none in our attachment to peace and Christian union; yet we do conceive that even these blessings are too dearly purchased, if they are obtained by the unhallowed compromise or abandonment of any part of revealed truth. There are indeed times, and places, in which a strict neutrality should be kept, and in which it should be as slightly remembered as possible, that such distinctions exist as those of Churchman, and Dissenter. Whatever may be the violations of neutrality on the part of members of the Establishment, we should exceedingly regret that any case should occur, and we do not believe it has occurred, in which a Dissenter meeting with his brethren of the endowed sect, for a common purpose, and on neutral ground, should commence an assault by obtruding his peculiar tenets, or boasting of the greater purity and excellence of his mode of worship. But when each party retires to its own post, bearing, it may be hoped, some portion of that hallowed feeling which pervaded the assembly, that moment, so far from being unfavourable, seems best fitted for the calin and impartial investigation not only of the points on which they are agreed, but of those also on which they differ. So far from feeling an objection, iu the present state of the Christian Church throughout our land, to publications like the present, written in the spirit of Christian meekness and charity, we feel a conviction that this is of all times the most favourable for a temperate discussion of what are called the principles or grounds of Dissent. The It is not a matter of surprise, though it may occasion regret, that the controversial writings of a former age on this subject betray a lamentable deficiency of Christian temper. sufferings of their fathers, and, in many cases, the personal wrongs of these Nonconformist advoeates, were too fresh in their remembrance, to admit of cool and impartial discussion. No wonder that with the cogent reasonings and well attested facts with which those writings abound, there should sometimes be blended an asperity and vehemence, that detract from their general merits. On this account many parents among Protestant Dissenters, have felt some reluctance to initiate their children into the controversy relating to Dissent, lest either the forbidding spirit in which it has sometimes been maintained, should make them revolt from the principles themselves, or, which is perhaps still more to be apprehended, they should imbibe the same spirit, and become intemperate partisans of a good cause. But now that the fever of human passions and prejudices has abated, and good men on each side have learned to esteem and love one another, it may reasonably be hoped, that angry discussions will give place to unbiassed investigation, and that there will be felt on both sides, a disposition to ascertain what is the truth, and having ascertained, to admit it. We are not disposed to raise the cry, The cause of Dissent ' is in danger,' for several reasons. First, because we do not believe the fact; and secondly, because we feel a persuasion that the truth, wherever it may be found, will ultimately prevail, and to this great object we are content that all party views and interests should be sacrificed; yet we have no doubts that the actual state of things, especially in the metropolis, justifies the following representation of the Author of the "Pastoral "Letters." The Author is apprehensive, that both ministers and parents, in their attention to the weightier matters of revealed religion, are chargeable with some degree of culpable neglect, in respect of such topics as relate to the order and discipline of the Church, in the instructions which they have given to young people, whether in their own families or in wider circles. The consequence has been, 1 |