be excluded by reading "And can embrace the blessings there, and here enjoy," &c. in the 4th verse, line 1st, we avoid an s, and the alliteration of "steady" and "steer," by reading, "By faith, our course unmov'd we steer;" and in the 4th line, we might perhaps read "soul :" in the 5th verse, line 1st, "By faith," instead of "By this," removes an s; and in the 3d line, two more would be removed by reading, "By faith, we quell." Fourteen s's may be thus expunged; but we are not certain that all these alterations would, in any other sense, be improvements: we only submit them. Hymn LIV.-Watts. 1 Deluded souls, that dream of heav'n, To Christ, the living head. 3 If we have faith to change the heart, That works by active love, "Twill bid all sinful joys depart, And lift the thoughts above. God from the curse has set us free, To make us pure within; Nor did he send his Son to be The minister of sin. Excellent in substance, and mostly smooth in versification. The 3d verse is somewhat inelegant; it apparently makes the efficacy of a right faith contingent on our " having" it; the author meant, that this efficacy would be shown in us if such a genuine faith were ours, but his words are not to exactly this effect: to rectify the fault, we may read the 3d and 4th lines thus We shall from sinful joys depart, And fix our thoughts above er we might, omitting perhaps the title, which limits the piece to "dead faith," propose this reading of the verse The faith which new-creates the heart, HOPE. Hymn LV.-Cennick. 1 Children of the heav'nly King, 2 Ye are trav'lling home to God We do not understand the dramatic arrangement of this hymn; who are the supposed speakers? it can hardly be that a congregation address themselves in the second person, and yet employ the first person also; both occur in verse 3d: nor can we make out responses of parts of the congregation interchangeably. Yet we fear that the interest of the piece will suffer by making the congregation address themselves in the first person; for as darkness favours the sublime, so obscurity and inaccuracy further a spurious kind of interest. We must, however, attempt the needful corrections. In verse 1st, line 2d, read "As we journey let us sing;" and in line 3d, for "your" read "the." In verse 2d, lines 1st and Verses 3d 3d, for "ye" read "we." and 4th, we would modify and condense into one: the 3d, in its latter half, wandering from the unity of the figure of a journey; and the 4th not being perspicuous in the expression "borders of your land"—if it be the borders of Canaan, "the better country," the hymn is for dying personsbut the final verse makes it apply to the journey through life: we would thus combine, therefore, the 3d and 4th verses Banish'd once, by sin betray'd, Christ our Advocate was made; Pardon'd now, no more we roam, Christ conducts us to our home. The final verse to remain as it is. Next follow four hymns classed under the title of LOVE. Hymn LVI.-F. Key. 1 Lord! with glowing heart I'd praise thee Help, O God, my weak endeavour, This dull soul to rapture raise; 2 Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee, Let my life shew forth thy praise. This hymn is so truly devout, that we point out its defects with great reluctance. There is a want of rhyme in the first stanza, lines 1st and 3d, "praise thee," and "saves me." The 1st stanza, lines 6th and 7th, asks of God "rapture," and "the flame," while the 3d stanza, line 1st, speaks of " ardent feel ing" as already existing in the "bosom;" this is an incongruity. Again, the 1st stanza, line 8th, presumes "love" to exist, and asks only the "flame" and "warmth" of "praise," while the 3d stanza, line 6th, prays for "love's pure flame;" this also is incongruous. There are several minor faults; but we pass them over, as we wish to retain part of the hymn. We would propose omitting the 1st stanza; by so doing we are relieved of the above incongruities, of the bad rhyme, and of the petition for "rapture.' Still there will be an apparent discrepancy between line 1st and line 6th of the last stanza, the one avowing 66 dent feeling," and the other asking that such a feeling may be "raised," or kindled: this, however, may be avoided by considering "raise" to mean increase, or raise higher. ar The next piece is on the same subject. Hymn LVII.-Newton. Why this dull and lifeless frame ? 3 Could my heart so hard remain, If I knew a Saviour's love? O how dark, and vain, and wild! Can I deem myself a child? 6 Could I love his saints to meet, Choose the ways I once abhorr❜d, 8 Let me love thee more and more, Help me to begin to-day. We answer the motto at the head of this hymn in our Saviour's words, "if ye love me, keep my commandments.” Does the hymn say any thing half as much to the purpose?-no; without adverting to a single commandment, it merely scrutinizes certain feelings. We are wrong: there is an obscure allusion to the commandments in the phrase "any duty," in verse 3d, line 3d, and in "choose the ways" &c., in verse 6th, line 2d; but these practical expressions are vague and of little note compared with "dull," "lifeless," "dark, and vain, and wild within," 66 prone to unbelief," "grieve for what I feel," "find the promise sweet," &c. all alluding to inward conditions or workings of the mind. In effect, there fore, this piece is neither such an answer, nor such an investigation, of the question "lovest thou me ?" as our Saviour has given. We must condemn it.-But should the committee and the convention think otherwise, we hope that at least the 7th and 8th verses will be expunged. The 7th presumes some supernatural solution of "the doubtful case." And the 8th is too quaint, and over simple. We must not omit noticing the sad rhyme of "thus" and "worse,' in verse 2d, which suggests a false and vulgar sound of the latter word: some latitude in rhyming is unavoidable; but this should never extend to the favouring of corrupt pronunciation. In verse 4th, line 4th, for "a child" we propose " "his child ;" his alluding to Saviour in the verse previous. We proceed to another piece on the subject of love. Hymn LVIII-Watts. 1 Happy the heart where graces reign, Our stubborn sins will fight and reign 3 'Tis love that makes our cheerful feet 4 This is the grace that loves and sings, 5 Among these blest harmonious throngs To golden harps we'll sound our songs, The above hymn is on the comparative excellence of the grace of love, or evangelical charity, on its superiority to other graces and gifts. And this is a point too delicate to be discussed with any other illustrations than those positively authorized by Scripture. The allusion to the "devils," verse 3d, though indisputably true, is not, so far as love is concerned, from scripture. The superiority of "love" over "fear," verse 2d, (fear being of course used in a good sense, as a holy feeling, for otherwise the contrast is but a truism and without point,) is equally unsanctioned by holy writ. We name these farther objections "there," (if love be absent there,) verse 2d, line 4th, refers to no place previously named, unless it be to "heart" in the 1st verse; but that is too far off to be easily discovered, and, when discovered, the allusion is inelegant, for the "heart" mentioned was presumed to possess love; besides, "absent there" is a mode of speech bordering on absurdity:-the two first lines of verse 2d, and the two last of verse 3d, are naturally related in thought-but the rhyme forbids bringing them together; and equally related are the two first lines of verse 3d, and the two last of verse 2d, yet the rhyme keeps these also apart :-in verse 3d, as it stands, there is a failure in rhyme between VOL. IX. lines 1st and 3d, "feet" and "too;" will the word "yet" in place of "too" be an improvement?-in verse 3d, line 3d, "strike" and "strings" make an ungraceful alliteration; and the epithet "sweet," in line 4th, is not in good taste :-in verse 5th, line 1st, the word "these" refers to nothing before named, it may be a misprint for "the;" and, lastly, that in heaven" every note" will be "love" alone, is not clear-we shall then know even as we are known-and not a few of our praises will then unquestionably be excited by our increased knowledge of God, his attributes, his counsels, and his works by increased knowledge, mingling with and hallowed by increased love. We will not attempt these manifold corrections: there is a good paraphrase of 1 Cor. xiii. which might be substituted. With one more piece we conclude for the present. Hymn LIX-Newton. "What shall I render?" 1 For mercies countless as the sands, From Jésus my Redeemer's hands, 2 Alas! from such a heart as mine 3 Yet this acknowledgment I'll make, 4 The best return for one like me, 5 I cannot serve him as I ought, No works have I to boast; Yet would I glory in the thought, That I shall owe him most. The last verse should be omitted: he who is forgiven much should love much; but that he should “glory in the thought" is a very different proposition: ought a man, who has spent wantonly a sum of money held in trust, glory in being released by the person injured? the true emotion would, we think, be shame, in the midst of gratitude for the favour. This verse expunged, the hymn is an excellent one. We only suggest that "My soul," verse. 1st, line 4th, applies awkwardly to the rest of the hymn-for the other verses 8 are, by the letter of the piece, the answer of the soul to the query in the 1st verse; and thus the soul speaks of its "heart" in verse 2d, and of taking the sacred " cup" in verse 3d: to remedy this fault, we offer a substitute for verse 1st, line 4th What shall, what can I give? We here rest again, or, rather, give an opportunity of rest to our readers. Our only fear is, that they will become tired of this protracted review. Before they yield to such a feeling, we conjure them to remember that these hymns are no ephemeral concern, liable to perish or pass into oblivion like a new book these hymns are nothing less than candidates nominated (or proposed to be nominated) for election to a rank next to our liturgy. Painful, therefore, and tedious, as the task may be, they must be examined line by line, and word by word. The good or bad qualities of these, as of other candidates for distinction, should be fully before the public, and righteously scrutinized by it. We hope, therefore, that our readers will not regard the length of this review when they consider the vital importance of its subject. STERNHOLD. For the Christian Journal. Tribute to Bishop Middleton. On Ascension Day, Thursday, May 27, 1824, the Lord Bishop of Calcutta held a visitation and ordination at the cathedral, Calcutta. After the visita tion sermon, preached by the Rev. Dr. Parish, garrison chaplain of Fort William, the bishop took his seat at the altar; and the clergy being assembled near the altar, were then addressed by his lordship seated in his chair; in which he thus touches on the character of his revered predecessor in the see, Bishop Middleton :— "Had the mind of that great and good man (Bishop Middleton,) observed his lordship, been attracted to secular purposes, he was possessed of every quality on which the world be stows its favour. But though his memory was stored with all profane and civil literature, the application of his learning and talents was to ecclesiasti cal purposes alone. He was perhaps the second critic of his age, yet he edited no Greek classics; he was stored, as I have been assured, with an inexhaustible supply of lighter and more elegant literature, yet he sought to be remembered as a divine and a theologian alone. Nay more, when his lifelong labours were at length approaching to their term, as if fearing the applause of men, even in those branches of learning which were strictly appro priate and ministerial, he consigned, as a last sacrifice, his laboured manuscripts to the flames; content to live only in the memory of those who loved and honoured him; and desiring no further praise than that which he shall one day receive, of Well done! good and faithful servant." " Character, Condition, and Prospects of the Greeks. [From the Christian Observer for Novem ber, 1824.3 WE lay before our readers a few heads of information respecting the general character, condition, and prospects of the Greeks, abridged from an able exposition on the subject, contained in a Report recently presented to the Greek Committee by Colonel Stanhope. In speaking of the Greek Church, the colonel states, that the priesthood, owing to their poverty, and the counteraction of the Mohammedan religion, do not possesss that prepon derating sway over their flocks which is exercised in Roman Catholic coun tries; but what power they have has been zealously exerted in bringing about the restoration of their national liberties. They traversed the country, animating their flocks with the love of liberty, and many of them even fight, ing in the ranks of the insurgents. During the period of military service they are suspended from their ecclesi astical functions. Colonel Stanhope confirms the pleasing fact of the great anxiety of the clergy and the people to receive the Scriptures in their na tive tongue. This, with the universal adoption of education throughout the country, which we trust will not long be wanting, will secure, we doubt not, both the possession and the perpetuity of their public independence and best welfare. The peasantry Colonel Stanhope describes as possessing a large share of rustic virtues. Though within the sphere of Turkish oppression, they were beyond the pale of its contamination, and retain great simplicity, bravery, and dignity of character. The populace in the towns are more degraded by the abject condition in which they have been held; but are still very susceptible of the influence of instruction wherever it is bestowed, and form a promising soil for moral and religious cultivation. Many of the richer classes, obliged till lately to crouch to their oppressors, while they lorded it over their poorer countrymen, exhibit a large share of those vices which such a state of things is calculated to generate. Avarice, finesse, and in some districts open plundering, have been hitherto but too characteristic of Greek manners; for which the circumstances in which they have been placed will but too well account. The resources of Greece are great, but unexplored; the Turks, blinded by prejudice and passion, have neglected the best interests of the country, and obstructed its agriculture, manufactures, and other sources of productive industry. The navy consists chiefly of merchant brigs, to the number of about eighty, which have been maintained partly by private contributions. The sailors are skilful and brave; and though not a match for the combined Turkish fleet, in point of strength, have gained a mastery over it by their courage and enterprising irregular tactics. The cap. tains of the army, by their zeal and constancy, kept up the spirit of the people till they succeeded in throwing off the yoke. They are hardy, simple, and intelligent, though hitherto uneducated; and the soldiers partake of their character. Colonel Stanhope concludes his Report with an expression of his firm conviction that the struggle, however protracted, must finally succeed; and that it will lead to an improvement in the condition, not only of Greece, but also of Asia. Fully concurring in this opinion, and anxious for The Climate of London, As dependent on its atmospheric pheno mena, has been illustrated as follows, by Mr. J. F. Daniels, in his "Meteorological Essays." The mean pressure of the atmosphere, as denoted by the barometer, is 29-881 inches of mercury. The range being from 30-82 to 28-12 inches, and mean daily fluctuation .015 inch. The mean temperature derived from the daily maxima (its mean being 56 deg. 1 min.) and the minima (its mean being 42 deg. 5 min.) of the thermometer of Fahrenheit, is 49 deg. 5 min.: the range from 90 to 11 deg. The force of radiation from the sun averages 23 deg. 3 min. in the day, and that from the earth at night 4 deg, 6 min.: the highest temperature of the sun's rays 154 deg., and the lowest temperature on the surface of the earth 5 deg. The mean dew point 44 deg. 5 min., and the range of the dew point from 70 to 11 deg.: the pressure of the vapour varying with it from 0.770 inch to 0.103 inch. degree of moisture, as indicated by the The greatest degree of dryness, or least author's bygromatic scale of 389, was 29 deg. |