not in any manner affect our most important interests, notwithstanding the intrigues and efforts of our enemies, who were incessantly employed in rekindling the fire of discord. Day before yesterday they succeeded in producing a temporary uneasiness by spreading a report that the national army had boasted of having behaved more meritoriously than the troops of the line: but every body was soon convinced that the report was unfounded, and it failed to produce any serious effect.

Their majesties took a long walk on the Prado yesterday, and were welcomed as on the preceding days by loud acclamations.

On account of late events at Saragossa, several corps of the troops of the line and of the local militia, particularly those of the capital, have addressed to the permanent deputation and to the king representations, tending to a renewal of their oath so often repeated, to defend the constitution and the royal person with the last drop of their blood.

The political chiefs of the provinces are directing their attention to the approaching elections of deputies for the next legislature. In the journals of the capital we already observe several pastorals from bishops and other authorized ecclesiastics of the kingdom exhorting their diocesans to a good choice of deputies."

The Spanish Minister, has, with his family, retired from the Russian Capital.

TURKEY.

Accounts from Odessa, state that the Turkish fleet has obtained an advantage over the naval force of the Greeks, although the latter have continued to be, for the most part, successful in such warlike enterprises as they had attempted. The intelligence in relation to Turkey and Russia, is still of an undecided character. It is said that England has proposed to France, to maintain the integrity of Turkey, except that Russia might obtain the permanent possession of Moldavia and Wallachia, upon condition of ceding to certain Princes, a part of Poland.

SUMMARY.

Imperial Present.-Edward J. Coale, Esq. of Baltimore, has received through the hands of the Russian Minister, a dia

mond ring from the Emperor Alexander, as a testimony of his approbation of the manner in which Mr. Coale has dischar ged the duties of Vice Consul.

Northern Canal.-We understand, says the Albany Daily Advertiser, that the rafts which have passed through this canal since the late rains, must have contained nearly half a million of pieces, consisting of boards, plank, timber, &c. and that it is estimated that 30,000 dollars would not have paid the waggon-hire for transporting this lumber from the lake to the Hud

son.

An Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb will be opened in Cincinnati, on the 1st of Jan

uary.

The steam boat Walk-in-the-Water, Captain Rogers, which was stranded in the late severe gale on Lake Erie, drove on the beach, about half a mile above Buffalo. She had on board a large number of passengers among whom was the missionary family destined for Sagana Bay, and a full cargo of dry goods, &c. principally belonging to merchants in Ohio and Michigan.

"The passengers were all safely landed soon after the boat struck, and the cargo was unladen during that and the succeding day. Many of the goods are considerably injured, but the loss in this respect probably, will not prove so great as was at first anticipated. The boat's machinery will be wholly saved, but the hull is so much injured as not to be worth repairing. The total loss sustained by the accident probably will not exceed 10 or 12,000 dollars. Great credit is due to Capt. Rogers, and the other officers and crew of the boat, for their seamanlike exertions for the safety of the boat, as well as their courteous and consoling deport ment towards the passengers, during a scene the most terrific and appaling that can be imagined."

From the returns of the population of Great Britain under the new census, as far as published, it appears that there has been an increase of about 15 per cent.

Great disturbances exist in the County of Limerick, Ireland. Outrages are committed daily. Bodies of 200, or 300 men, attack the houses of the gentry.

A vessel has arrived at Hull, in Eng land, from the whale fishery, with nine fish, in the capture of which the rocket was employed. After being struck, the largest whale became an easy prey to its pursuers. In one case instant death is sta ted to have been produced by a single rocket, and in all cases the speed was much diminished, and its power of sinking limited to three or four fathoms. The rockets when discharged, enter the body

1821.]

of the fish and explode; they frequently go so nearly through as to show the effect on the opposite side.

Independence of Peru.-The Caraccas Gazette of the 25th October, contains the following act of the Cabildo of Peru.

In the city of the Kings of Peru, 15th July, 1821, the persons composing the Junta being formed, together with the excellent and most illustrious Archbishop of this Metropolitan church, the Prelates of the religious convents and those who bear Spanish titles, and various personages in the neighbourhood of this capital, having met for the purpose of performing what was proposed in an official letter from his excellency the General in Chief of the Liberating army of Peru, Don Josef de San Martin, dated yesterday, namely, that all persons of known probity, intelligence and patriotism, who live in this capital, shall declare if the general opinion is in favour of independence, preparatory to administering the oath all the members of the meeting, for themselves, and satisfied of the opinion of the inhabitants of this capital, declare that the general wish is decidedly in favour of the independence of Peru from the Spanish dominion, and

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corum.

accompanied with at least a short retrospect of the life, and of the leading traits in the character of the illustrious deceased.

Dr. Boudinot was born in Philadelphia, on the 2nd of May A. D. 1740. He was descended from one of those pious Protestants, who, at the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, fled from France to America, to escape the horrors of ecclesiastical persecution and to enjoy religious freedom in this favored land. He had the advantage of a classical education, and pursued the study of the law under the direction of the Hon. RICHARD STOCKTON, a member of the first American Congress, whose eldest sister he afterwards married.

Shortly after his admission to the Bar of New Jersey, Dr. Boudinot rose to the first grade in his profession. Early in the Revolutionary war, he was appointed by Congress to the important trust of Commissary-General of prisoners. In the year 1777, he was chosen a member of the national Congress, and in the year 1782 he was elected the President of this august body. In this capacity he had the honor and happiness of putting his signature to the Treaty of Peace, which forever established his country's independence. On the return of peace, he resumed the practice of the law. It was not long, however, before he

was called to a more important station.On the adoption of the present constitution of the United States, the confidence of his fellow citizens allotted him a seat in the House of Representatives of the United States. In this honorable place he was continued for six successive years. On quitting it to return once more to the pursuits of private life, he was appointed by that consummate judge of character, the first President of the United States, to fill the office of Director of the National Mint, vacated by the death of the celebrated RITTENHOUSE. This trust he executed with exemplary fidelity during the administration of WASHINGTON, of ADAMS, and (in part) of JEFFERSON. Resigning this office, and seeking seclusion from the perplexities of public life, and from the bustle and ceremony of a commercial metropolis, he fixed his residence in the city of Burlington. Here, surrounded by affectionate friends, and visited by strangers of distinction-engaged much in pursuits of Biblical literature-practising the most liberal and unceremonious hospitalityfilling up life in the exercise of the highest christian duties, and of the loveliest charities that exalt our nature-meekly and quietly communicating and receiving happinces of the purest kind; he sustained, and has left, such a character, as will forever endear his memory to his friends, and do honor to his country.

Prior to the revolution he was elected a member of the Board of Trustees of New Jersey College. The semi-annual meetings of this respectable body, he always attended with punctuality, unless prevented by severe indisposition. At the time of his decease he was the Senior member of this corporation. The liberal donation he made it during his life, and the more ample one in his last will, must be long remen bered with gratitude by the friends of science.

But while anxious to promote the interests of literature, he was not unmindful of the superior claims of religion on his remembrance and his bounty. Attached from principle and habit to the religious denomination of which he was so distinguished a member, he has been most liberal in his testamentary donation to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, and to their Theological Seminary established at Princeton.

But as his mind, unshackled by bigotry or sectarian prejudice, was expanded by the noblest principles of christian benevo lence, he has also very liberally endowed various institutions whose objects is to diffuse more widely the light of revealed truth-to evangelize the heathen-to instruct the deaf and dumb-to educate youth for the sacred ministry—to advance knowledge, and to relieve the wants and miseries of the sick and suffering poor.

To those of his fellow-citizens, howev er, who are peculiarly interested in the circulation of the sacred scriptures, perhaps the chief excellence in the character of the deceased, is the ardent and effective seal he disylayed in the BIBLE CAUSE. The efforts he at first made, notwithstanding the infirmities of age, and much unerpected opposition, to establish The American Bible Society-his munificent donation to this institution at its first organization-his subsequent liberality to aid in the erection of a Depository-the devise of a large and valuable tract of land-and the deep and undiminished interest he bar taken in all the concerns of the National Society ever since he was chosen to be its President-while they spread his fame through every region of the globe, will consecrate his memory to the hearts of his fellow-citizens in America, and his fellow Christians throughout the world.

But if his public services, and his private worth, claim the tribute of general esteem and affectionate remembrance; the closing scene of his life is not less calculated to console his friends under the heavy loss they have sustained, than it is to edify and support the departing christian.

In the full possession of his mental faculties, and in the assured persuasion of his approaching dissolution, his faith was firmhis patience unexhausted and his hoper were bright. While with paternal solici tude he exhorted those aroumd him to rest on the LORD JESUS CHRIST as the only true ground of trust—while with solemnity and tenderness he commended a dutiful and affectionate daughter—his only childto the care of his surviving friends; with humble resignation he expressed his readiness-his desire to depart in peace" to the bosom of his Father in Heaven; and the last prayer he was heard to articulate. was-"Lord Jesus receive my spirit.”

No. XII.]

For the Christian Spectator.

On Hardness of Heart. HARDNESS of heart consists in great and voluntary aversion to duty. The truths of religion, as they present the objects of affection and the motives to action, are addressed to the heart. Such is the nature of man, and such the nature of these truths, that he is capable of receiving from them an impression, i. e. certain feelings and affections corresponding to their nature. For example, there is that in the divine character, when presented to man, which is adapted to produce love; there is in the nature of sin that which is adapted to excite abhorrence; there is in the character of the Lord Jesus Christ that which is adapted to produce confidence or trust. Now that state of mind which resists the influence of these things, so that the true and proper effects of them are not produced in man, is what the scriptures mean by hardness of heart. Whatever other sensibility of the soul may be touched, so long as that moral sensibility is wanting which is necessary to right feelings and affections toward divine things, the heart is hard.

Fears of punishment may occupy the soul, conscience may be awake, and inflict its severest pangs, and yet the heart remain hard. In the world of woe there is no stupefaction of the conscience, but hardness of heart reigns in every damned spirit without the least mitigation. To decide whether the heart be hardened, we are not to Vol. 3-No. XII.

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[VOL. III.

enquire, merely, whether we have feeling, but whether we have any right feeling, any such feelings or affections towards God, towards Christ, or towards sin, as we ought to have. If not, then is it strictly true that, with respect to these things, we have no feeling; the heart, however sensible to other things, with respect to these, is cold as ice and hard as rock.

This state of mind is wholly voluntary. Of this the commands of God are decisive proof: there is not one of them which does not forbid a hard, unfeeling heart. The threatenings of God are denounced against nothing in man but such a heart. But God requires and forbids nothing in man, he punishes man for nothing, but that in which he is voluntary. No one can deny this without imputing the grossest injustice to the divine character. Our own consciousness confirms the representation. It is true that, in many cases, it is not a matter of choice whether we feel or do not feel; it does not depend upon our will, if fire be applied to our flesh, whether we shall experience pain. But our feelings with respect to objects of choice are wholly voluntary.

The two great objects presented to the mind of man, are God and the world, and the question is, which will you prefer; which shall command your strongest affections. Every man knows that there is nothing in God, and nothing in the world, why he should not fix his strongest affections upon God, but every reason why he should: and he knows equally well,