dlesticks, while his quickening Spirit departs not from this favoured land, we will exult in the present and the anticipated triumphs of his grace, and ours shall be the privilege to say with the fervour of prayer and the assurance of hope, "thy kingdom come." From Unitarianism we may expect violent and restless hostility, and from what it has done we may infer what, if want of power and means do not prevent, it will still do. It will still labour to cause division and weakness in our organized congregaweakness in our organized congregations, it will still lay sacrilegious hands on literary institutions, founded in faith and prayer and consecrated to the cause of pure christianity, it will still seize and convert to its own purposes, funds dedicated to the maintainance of the ministry of reconciliation, and in no respect fail to invade the peace of our churches, to overturn their foundations, and to build itself on their ruins. In some portions of the church, the prospect may darken, and days of rebuke and blasphemy come. But let no man's heart tremble with fear. Our Zion is safe. The Lord God in the midst of her, is mighty. Thus cheered with the most decisive indications of his favour, we rest with confidence in his counsels and his covenant. Let the watchmen still lift up their voice, let the secret ones of the Most High still supplicate at his throne, let the friends of a common christianity lay aside their petty conflicts, and come up in firm encounter against the legions of error and death, and under the Captain of their salvation, they shall march on to new victories. Angels will still rejoice to visit the land and execute their ministry among the heirs of salvation, the Spirit of grace will still breath on the dry bones of the valley, and quicken to immortal life; the Saviour will be satisfied with the trophies of his mercy, and the homage and the praise of redeemed and sanctified meu, still be rendered to him, "who is over all, GOD BLESSED FOREVER." No Fiction: A Narrative, founded on recent and interesting facts; First American, from the Third London edition, 2 vols. 12mo. Boston: Samuel T. Armstrong, and Crocker and Brewster. it to 'youth, as the bloom of this age The author of this work, dedicates the narrative which he has furnished, and the promise of the future; and professedly founded on facts, is full of instruction for those who are com mencing the duties of active life. Our principal object in noticing the work, is to mention it as one which parents will do well to purchase for their children, for with the incidents of a story unusually interesting, are connected the most useful, moral and Our limits will religious lessons. permit us only to give a brief outline of the narrative. Lefevre, was a young person, who resided with his mother, a sensible, lost his father in early life, and who pious woman, in a town, at some distance from London, until he was of a suitable age to enter as a clerk in one of the public offices of the metropolis. Leaving the maternal roof, with the prayers and benedictions of his parent, he safely arrived at the place of his destination. Of his new situation and subsequent conduct, he gave to Douglas, a man with whom he casually formed an acquaintance, but who be came a friend that rendered him the most essential services, the following account. I was rendered somewhat indignant on observing boys like myself look down upon me; and my astonishment was excited to the uttermost, on finding that most in my office, few of whom were greatly my superior in age, possessed habits so very different to my own. They were pert, conceited, and overbearing. They could resort to the coffee houses-talk of politics-and occasionally confirm their ignorant opinions with an oath. They could apparently command their small income to decorate their persons and feed their vanity; and, with all these advantages, they supposed themselves elevated to the rank of men and even of gentlemen. "I was shocked at these manners, and avoided their society as much as was compatible with the duties of my station. Would that I had always done so ! But time wore away the impressions which nature and domestic habits had made upon me; and I became less affected by their evil practices. Some times I even found a slight temptation, from the pride of my heart, to equal and surpass them in their own way, by means which I felt I had so entirely within my reach. "Among these associates, there were some, however, who possessed good parts and kind dispositions; and who seemed anxious, as they termed it, to make me one of themselves, and put me on a better fooling in the office. The repetition of their requests, joined with those friendly intentions, for which I gave them credit, dissolved my resolutions; and, if I did not run to their excesses, I did sufficient, frequently, to bring an uneasy weight of guilt upon my conscience. "Perhaps one of the worst effects of this intercourse was, that it begat light thoughts of religion and of the sabbath. I well remember the feelings of one sabbath, which I had devoted to recreation and amusement; and which,as my compan. ions insisted, were so needful after the confinement and labor of the week. I returned, in the evening, to my dwelling, more fatigued than by the duties of any common day, and dissatisfied with pleasures which my heart told me were mixed with sin I retired to my chamber. Former days came to my mind. The words of my mother-"Beware of the snares of London!"-sunk in my heart. I sighed-I thought I would beware in future-Ï kneeled down, and prayed to God to be my keeper. "Must I tell you, my friend, how soon these impressions were removed, and my vows broken!-that they were often renewed, and as often violated, with more carelesness of the consequences each time! -so that I know not what I might have been at this moment, but for a season of affliction. "A pleurisy brought me near to the grave. My recovery was long and doubtful; I had, therefore, much time for reflection. I was truly concerned for my situation. I read my Bible. I felt that all my professions of 'goodness had passed away like the morning cloud;' and I bemoaned myself like Ephraim before God. I almost dreaded recovery, lest I should live to be led into temptation; and again, with more fervour, I entreated a superior Power to preserve me. "I said that a disregard to the sabbath was the source of most of the evils I had committed; and I especially determined to keep it holy. On my restoration, my first care was to put this purpose into ef fect. This, I am thankful to say, I was enabled to do. I frequently heard the Vol. 3.-No. IV. 27 Rev. Messrs. Cecil and Pratt with much benefit; but I more regularly attended the ministry of the Rev. John Newton.You know his excellencies; I need not dwell upon them. It may be sufficient to say, that I hope his ministry established those convictions which had been revived by my illness; encouraged me to go for ward in the ways of religion; and excited me to that zeal for the welfare of others, which led to our interview and friendship. "As to my subsequent experience, it is nearly as well known to you as to myself. Happy is it for me," said he looking on Douglas with a smile, "that I have now a friend to whom I can freely communicate on the most important concerns." "Thank you, my dear Charles!" said Douglas, taking him by the band, "thank you! Let us believe and be confident of this one thing, that he who hath begun this good work, will peform it to the day of Jesus Christ.'" "Ah!" said Lefevre, "it is easy to believe that when the work is begun, it will be perfected; but the difficulty with me often is, to ascertain whether it is begun." "That indeed," rejoined Douglas, "is the material point. And in endeavoring to decide upon it, we should make it as simple as possible. Every thing relative to the manner and circumstance of the work should be forgotten in the question; and the attention engrossed by the work itself -Is the work begun ?" "This is an important distinction," said Lefevre, "I shall be glad to say more on the subject at a suitable opportunity.-But see, the sky is overcast before us-we shall have rain." "Ah!" said Douglas, "it is a picture of one's experience-sunshine and rain, rain and sunshine. But this is not our rest!-We will renew the subject another time. -Vol. I. pp. 35-39. Our young friends were now increasing. ly desirous of each others society. They had often found their distance an obstacle to communion; and Lefevre had resolved to remove it. He, accordingly, made an arrangement for his residence with a Mr. and Mrs. Russell: an arrangement which not only brought them nearer together, but which also greatly promoted the pleas. ure of their intercourse, as the persons referred to were much esteemed by them both, and had a real interest in their welfare.—p. 40. Lefevre had no sooner entered under the roof of Mr. and Mrs. Russell, than he found himself at home, and looked up to his friends as a son to his parents. Respectful, sociable, and happy, he formed a pleasing addition to their comforts. He regularly united in their morning and evening devotions; and passed his spare hours in their society: sometimes entertaining them by the tidings of the day, and sometimes freely conversing with them on the serious topics of religion. Our young friends having now the fullest opportunity for interview, resolved to employ it for their radical improvement. They were aware that it was not enough to have the mere desire of knowledge; they must adopt regular methods in the pursuit of it, if their wishes were to be successful. With this conviction, they sat down to give some certain direction to their studies; and at length determined that, generally, their attention should be given to Languages, Natural Philosophy, History, English Literature, and Theology. As to Languages, they agreed to perfect themselves in the principles of the English Tongue; deeming it truly ridiculous to pursue others while palpably deficient in their own. In addition to this, Lefevre decided in improving his slight acquaintance with the Latin, and commencing the study of the Hebrew, as favourable to bis knowledge of biblical truth: and Douglas, having already made some progress in Latin and Hebrew, took the Greek grammar in hand. In reference to the other beads of study, it was resolved, that as Douglas possessed the better knowledge of books, he should draw up such a course of reading on them, as would be most likely to afford mutual profit. To render their plans the more effica cious, they farther proposed, that they should unite with themselves a few other young persons, who had a love of knowledge, to form a society for general improvement. This was soon accomplished and the principal regulations of it were, that the members should subscribe to establish a library for common use, and that they should meet once a fortnight: at one meeting, reading aloud some esteemed author, with liberty to remark on the manner of the reader, or the contents of the work; and at the alternate meeting, delivering, in rotation, an essay on some moral or religious topic, which should also be liable to discussion. Such was the plan they laid down; and now they combined their energies for its execution. Considering that they had but few hours in the day at their own disposal, it may be thought they proposed too much to themselves; but is it not better to see youth in the first ardor of feeling grasp at too much, than grasp at nothing worthy of regard?" He who aims at the stars will certainly shoot farther than he who aims at the pebbles beneath his teet ;" and our young friends, if they did not reach all they designed, yet made rapid and impor. tant attainments. Surely all who feel an interest in the progress of the youthful character, wust have pleasure in beholding so strong an attachment yielding such valuable fruits. How many who, at this period of life, boast of similar friendships, suffer their af fection to spend itself in frivolous enjoyments! They seek to support friendship, by flattering each other's vanity, or the gratification of sensual appetite. They meet together without an object; and lest they should say nothing, they venture to ridicule, to satirize, and thoughtlessly, perhaps, to slander characters they are not prepared to appreciate. Or, if their pretensions are higher, they content themselves with glancing at the mere title påges of books; and, by reading a few periodical publications, they catch the tone of literary men, and assert their borrowed opinions with all the flippancy and presumption of ignorance. Lefevre and Douglas on the contrary, had always a serious and noble object before them. They had no time for vanity and folly; therefore they were under no temptation to them; and, yet, they have often referred to the hours thus spent, as amongst the happiest of their lives. They had the testimony of their consciences, that they were well employed; they were strangers to wearisomness or ennui in each other's society; time being occupied left them no regret but the speed of its flight: and, it may be easily concluded, that the similarity of their labors, their cares, and their enjoyments, had no feeble influence on the bands of their friendship.-Vol. I. pp. 43, 46. He After a long season of friendly intercourse, Douglas was obliged to leave London, and to reside, during many months of each year, in distant parts of the three kingdoms. kept up a correspondence with Lefevre, who, for some time pursued the same course that he had done, while favored with the society of his friend. He devoted the hours, which the duties of his station did not require, to study, and to the society of Mr. and Mrs. Russell. This even tenor of life, however, and the enjoyment of which it was productive, he was soon to loose. Seduced by the arts of a young man, associated with him in his labors, he relaxed somewhat from the firmness with which he had avoided the appearance of evil, and by degrees became familiar with vice. Our author has traced, step by step, his downward course, and has described with much ability, the conflicts of mind, the momentary reformations, and subsequent apostacies-the meth ods taken by his friends to reclaim him with the partial success, but at length total failure of their efforts, until Lefevre, the hope of his parents, and the delight of friends, became a confirmed debauchee. His moral declension is one which many a broken-hearted parent, and many a ruined child could readily describe. As his course of life was incompatible with the wholesome habits of Mr. Russell's family, Lefevre removed to other lodgings, and freed from the importunity of christian friends, and in some degree from the reproaches of conscience, whose power was destroyed by long continued profligacy, he proceeded rapidly in his unhappy career. The embarrassments in which his expenses involved him, prevented him from entirely relinquishing attention to business, and his talents and accomplishments still preserved him some degree of consequence in society. About this period, Lefevre became tenderly attached to a young lady of great purity of mind, who, ignorant of his real character, received his attentions and returned his affection. He made her proposals of marriage, but having received intimations which proved to be true, concerning him, she decidedly rejected his proposals, on the ground of character, and while determined that this rejection should be final, she did not conceal the pain with which she made it. though after much solicitude, his friends discovered him, he found means of escaping a second time, and went forth, 'like Cain, oppressed with a sense of guilt which he could not escape-a fugitive from the face of God and man.' He was indebted to the hospitality of a wood man for shelter from a furious storm, to which in his wanderings he was exposed; and who, with his family, rendered him every attention in his power, and endeavored to raise him from his dejection. The respectful, generous, and even delicate treatment he had received at the woodman's cottage, for some time enga ged Lefevre's thoughts; and then again they fell, with the force of habit, into former listlessness. The providential interference he had witnessed, however, gave birth to some slight acts of reflection. He felt the folly of exposing himself to such perilous evils as on the past night, and inwardly designed to avoid their repetition. With this design, but without carrying out his reflections into any plan, or sorrowfully dwelling on his nearly exhaustedresour ces, he wandered forward towards Guilford. Twilight was resting on the surrounding hills of this fine ancient town, when he came into its neighbourhood; and he condeeper duskiness of night, be could enter tinued hovering on its skirts, till, in the with greater security. On entering, he looked only for a public-house where he might rest for the night; and he passed into the first that presented itself. Colors were waving above the door, but he did not observe them; a recruiting party was within, but heedless of it, he sought a box that was unoccupied. Not so heedless was the recruiting ser jeant of Lefevre. Skilful in his employment, his eye, with an air of vacancy, ran over Lefevre as he entered, and marked all it saw. To a man of quick but not of deep penetration, like the sergeant, there was that in his manner and features which spoke merely of indolent dissatisfaction. This however, was enough. This dispo sition was the one of all others the ser Lefevre was agitated by the disappointment; and he was led to reflect upon his loss of character, and of those pleasing prospects which once opened before him on earth, and which terminated in heaven. Pecuniary difficulties also pressed upon him, and his spirit sunk under his trials. His former friends now renewed those attentions which their kind-geant was most shrewd in detecting, from ness for him had prevented from being entirely interrupted, and attempted to soothe his mind, that they might reclaim him. A sense of guilt bowed him down. He saw that he had wandered far from God, and the path of life, and he despaired of mercy. In this state of mind and while an invalid, he escaped from the house, and al its having been uniformly the leading object of search; and, on seeing it in Lefevre, he concluded that he was his prey. appeared careless of him, he began his atWith his thoughts, on Lefevre, while he tack. He talked for some time most merrily of the pleasures of a soldier's life; and, to inspire his companions with a warm sympathy in his assertions, he freely and more kard. He, then, with nonchalance, introfreely pushed round the intoxicating tanduced himself to Lefevre. He would 212 Review of a Narrative founded on Facts. have talked to him-but Lefevre would not talk. He would have prevailed on him to drink--but Lefevre would not drink. All his little arts were called forth and tried; but alas! they were tried in vain. He was retreating, with that mortification which belongs to a soldier especially, who finds defeat, where he promised himself victory. Had this officer possessed any real insight into character, he might have spared himself his vexation. He had laid siege to a heart, which, unattacked, was dispos ed to a voluntary surrender. "Lefevre bad soon gathered, that these soldiers belonged to the - regiment; part of which was quartered in the town, for a couple of days. That the remainder was coming up; that they were ordered to Canada; and that, on their way to the coast, they were looking out for a few recruits to complete the numbers of the battalion. This he thought was the very thing he wanted. It would provide for bim; it would save bim the trouble of directing his own course; and, above all, it would effectually conceal him from the search of his friends. He had, however, withstood the officious manœuvering of the serjeant; and it was not till he had proved it to be useless, that Lefevre thought of obeying the inclinations of his heart. He then freely offered himself to the party, and was immediately enlisted under a False name-Charles Lawson. Rash as this step certainly was, and injurious as it must have been to Lefevre in any better circumstances, it was now likely to be beneficial, to him, rather than the contrary. Incapable as he was to be his own master it was well that he should be under some superior control. No ordinary authority was now equal to govern his disordered mind; but the rigid sanctions of military discipline were not to be disregarded. Soon was he exasperated at a power so coercive; often did he sink into stubborn listlessness; but then again, the thought of shameful punishment effectually roused him. Tired of the irritation of his mind, he resigned himself to perform duties over which he had no option. Introduced to strangers, he felt, humble as it was, he had a character to maintain ; this stimulated him to proper conduct. And, to avoid all suspicion or troublesome questions, from bis rude companions, he placed a strong restraint on himself; and became social and conversable, while his heart was still alienated from all socie1y. Perhaps he smiled-but the smile fled over his face like the summer lightning over the scorched hillock. Perhaps he laughed--but the laugh was so hollow-so abrupt, as to be, to the sensible mind, the most distressing expression of deep and nameless sorrow! Some time was consumed before Lefe [APRIL, of embarkation. Much as he had wished heart sickened for a moment as he glanced to fly his connexions and native land, his on the vessel, that was to transport him from them-perhaps for ever. The winds continued unfavourable for a period, and he began to quarrel with the delay-so restless was his heart! However, the season began to open and 127-131. the wanted breeze sprang up.-Vol. II. pp. The ship now stood out to sea, and every object was distanced to his sight. He painfully felt each inch of way the vessel made. Soon the light of day be came fainter, and the distance more considerable; till England only appeared as a promontory on which nothing could be distinguished, except the deep fogs that surrounded its foot, and the dim, heavy glory that pressed its summit. Imagination still ran over its favourite spots, nately clung to his friends, now the hand and his affections, so long inactive, obsti of time threatened to separate him from them for ever. His distressed thoughts flew from thing to thing, and from one beloved person to another, busy but restless; as though the opportunity of dwelling on them would be lost to him, immediately the receding point of land should sink in the dark horizon. heaved-and his eye was thrown from The vessel the dear spot on which it hung! He shifted his position-and strained every nerve of sight to recover it. saw it!-no, it was a mist! Now be it was a wave! Still his eye pierced to Now!-no the line that bounded the sky and water; but, no,-nothing could be found !---Indescribable anguish swelled within him. A thousand tender ties seemed snapped at All the smothered sentiments of friendship, of filial affection, of local endearment, invigorated by the love of country, a passion so often found to survive other attachments, rose in his soul. gushed from his eyes-he sank down on depths of sorrow were broken up-tears the ground, and long and bitterly did he weep! once. The Salutary were the tears of Lefevre.— As the heavy atmosphere became clear and elastic by the fall of rain, so his gloomy torpor, which had so long opprestears wonderfully relieved him of that sed his spirit. The light of heaven seemed beaming through the separating clouds of melancholy, and his whole conduct appeared to him in a totally new point of folly and presumption, in tearing himself He was confounded at his own from the bosom of his friends, and his native country. The name of his mother quivered on his lips while he thought, for the first time seriously, of the agonies she must have suffered through his rashness. View vre, with his regiment reached the place Softened by filial love, bis mind turned to |