always wielding his own language with the hand of a master;that, in ecclesiastical learning he must yield to Waterland-few indeed having had the command of such magazines of controversial knowledge as were possessed by that champion of orthodoxy ;that he could not shake the capitol with the fulminations of a Warburton, nor leave his hearers in doubt whether the intrepidity with which he proposed a paradox, or the ingenuity with which he supported it, were the more extraordinary ;-that he had not that force of genius which drove Horsley forth in search of 'hard sayings,' determined to find a way, if there was one; or to make one, if there was not; that he had not the pith and point of a Paley, nor that practical knowledge of mankind, or of the laws of popular ratiocination which are so remarkable in all the sermons of that home-spun philosopher and divine. But, in truth, the powers of Dr. Townson are scarcely perceived in the meekness with which he wears them. His happy expositions of scripture, both of the text and of the scheme, may be very readily overlooked through the unostentatious form in which they are presented to us. It often requires a considerable familiarity with topics of divinity to estimate him at his real worth, to give him the honour which is his due, to be properly aware of the dexterity with which he steers through an intricacy, or the aptness with which he applies an explanatory text, or the sagacity with which he illustrates a doctrine : 'All men may try and think to write as well, And not without much pains be undeceived.' Then, his style contributes to this want of striking effect-especially in these days when style is so often meretricious; or, as Sir Hugh Evans would say, is affectations.' There is no ambition in it—no attempt to shine; it is such pure undefiled English as would have passed from the pen of Addison; terse it is, no doubt, but the labour of the file does not appear. It is ever under the influence of a taste the most chastened and sober, such as checks all extravagance, whether of fancy or expression, forbids all clashing of discordant metaphors, tolerates no antithesis, discards every idle word, and, in short, racks off so much of that which goes by the name of fine writing, as would leave to authors of a different order from Dr. Townson a miserable caput mortuum indeed. What does remain, we will express in the language and under the authority of the Right Rev. Editor:- For himself, he can truly say, that more just thought, more sound theology, and more genuine piety, embodied in so short a space, and so unencumbered with needless words, it has not been his fortune to meet with in any production of modern times.' Before we close our paper, we will extract a few passages for the the satisfaction of our readers; not, however, such as are to be accounted purpurei panni, for it is quite characteristic of these sermons to be exempt from all splendid paragraphs. The following is, we think, a picture very finely conceived and expressed. It is in the 25th Sermon, on the raising of Lazarus :— • But when he advanced to the grave, and was now upon the point of commanding the dead man to come forth, St. John tells us, he groaned again in himself. We may here imagine, that his thoughtful mind was struck with the impression of a deeper concern, than what arose from the sorrow of those around him: looking forward, from the resurrection of Lazarus to that hour, when all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall come forth, they that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation.-The mind of our Lord, looking forward to that hour, would naturally forecast in thought, how many should then come forth unto the resurrection of damnation; among whom, it is to be feared, some of that very company, for their hard and impenitent hearts, would be numbered. And he, who had such tender compassion for us, that he died to save us from this second death, must then have felt a deeper sorrow working within him, when, after having groaned in spirit and wept, on coming to the grave, he again groaned in himself. Having thus seen our Lord affected according to the principles of his human nature; we next behold him acting according to the power of the divine when, after a short prayer addressed to his Heavenly Father, he cried, with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" and he that was dead came forth, He, whose hands were bound to his sides; whose feet were closed together, in the grave-clothes wrapped round them, arose in the cave where he lay, and at his call came forth. He who, after a course of sickness, had been dead four days, in which time his body, in that hot climate, must naturally have seen corrup tion; he lived and came forth, with an immediate and full return of vigour in his limbs; and, as appeared to the wondering beholders, so soon as the napkin that bound his face could be removed, with health in his countenance'. p. 330. There is occasionally great poetical beauty in Dr. Townson's illustrations. In Sermon X X., he has occasion to speak of that foretaste of greater joy which it is permitted the good man to experience as he approaches the end of his earthly pilgrimage, and a better country begins to open upon him. He may here have contemplated a well-known passage in the Paradise Lost, though another, in Bishop Ken (which the Bishop of Limerick gives, as he also does the former, in a note), is a still more striking coincidence The merchant, who towards spicy regions sails, The The same thought is thus expressed by Dr. Townson 'We read that in certain climates of the world the gales that spring from the land carry a refreshing smell out to sea; and assure the watchful pilot that he is approaching to a desirable and fruitful coast, when as yet he cannot discern it with his eyes. And, to take up, once more, the comparison of life to a voyage, in like manner it fares with those who have steadily and religiously pursued the course which heaven pointed out to them. We shall sometimes find, by their conversation, towards the end of their days, that they are filled with hope, and peace, and joy; which, like those refreshing gales and reviving odours to the seaman, are breathed forth from Paradise upon their souls, and give them to understand, with certainty, that God is bringing them unto their desired haven.'-p. 256, We can only find room for one quotation more; it is a piece of noble declamation, which occurs in a Sermon for Christmas Day (XXVII.) In the first and second chapters of St. Luke, we read how his coming in the flesh was received by Zacharias and Simeon, two venerable persons, who themselves had tasted of divine inspiration, and were diligent to search the Scriptures. The holy delight which they felt and testified, naturally resulted from the divine prophecies and promises concerning him. For, what manner of person must he be, might such pious inquirers ask, who shall answer all the expectations raised, from age to age, of his appearance? How powerful shall this seed of the woman be; who shall bruise the serpent, the ancient deceiver of mankind? How happy this seed of Abraham, in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed? How wonderful the prophet who shall perfect and complete the law, given at Mount Sinai, and ordained by angels? How mighty the Prince, who shall sit on the throne of David for ever; and of whose kingdom there shall be no end? How ma jestic the Angel of the Covenant; of whose coming to our temple such things are spoken? We see not our tokens any more, might they say, when the Temple built and adorned by Solomon was still richer in heavenly gifts; when the precious stones of Aaron's breastplate shone with an oracular brightness; and a cloud, a symbol of the divine presence, overshadowed the mercy-seat: and yet we are assured that the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former. Who, then, is he whose presence shall thus ennoble our temple ? Who is this king of glory who shall enter our gates, with all the honours upon him, which heaven before divided among its favoured sons? Whom Adam represented as a father of mankind; Melchizedec, as a priest of the most high God; Moses, as a mediator between God and man; Joseph, as a Saviour; David, as a shepherd of his people, a ruler, and king ?-Who, indeed, can this king of glory be promised to all ages, proclaimed by all inspired prophets, prefigured by all great examples,-who but the Lord; even the Lord of Hosts himself, Immanuel, or God with us?'-p. 354. On On the whole, it will appear from these sermons of Dr. Townson, that he was a man such as the Church of England delights to see, and contributes to nurture; who, in an age of much lukewarmness on the one hand, and much fanaticism on the other, was led by the spirit of his own articles and liturgy, and fell into neither extreme, being at once the pious and evangelical preacher, and the sound and sober moralist; who was too ripe a scholar as well as too earnest a servant of God, to play the pedant before a rural audience, or, on the contrary, to refresh his flock with lean and flashy songs' only, but rather gave himself to solve the difficult problem of communicating deep things in a manner that should be intelligible to a simple hearer, and of using plain speech, without an approach to vulgarity; who, at a time when many preachers were striving to be profound, was himself content to be scriptural; and without violence or effort, or popular appeal, or observation, made his way into the heads and hearts of his people, remembering That the words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.'* ART. V.-Trials, and other Proceedings, in matters Criminal, before the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland; selected from the Records of that Court, and from original Manuscripts preserved in the General Register House, Edinburgh. By Robert Pitcairn, Writer to his Majesty's Signet, F.S.A. 4to. Parts I-VI. Published by the Bannatyne Club. Edinburgh. 1829-30. THIS HIS has been called the age of clubs;' and certainly the institution of societies which, under no more serious title than that of a festive symposium, devote themselves to the printing of literary works not otherwise likely to find access to the press, will hereafter be numbered among not the least honourable signs of the times. The two Scotch clubs of this class have of late been doing so much and so well, that we venture to introduce a few general remarks on the circumstances under which their exertions have been called forth. It is a frequent subject of complaint among young authors that they experience difficulty in bringing their works before the public, under a general shyness which the TRADE, as they are usually called, (we suppose par excellence,) or, in plain language, the booksellers, entertain with respect to MSS. which do not bear either a well known name, or, at least, the announcement of some popular and attractive subject in the title-page. * Eccles. ix. 17. In fact fact, there is real ground, on some occasions, for complaining of this species of impediment. The bookseller, though a professed trader in intellect, cannot be in every case an infallible judge of the vendibility of the wares submitted to him, the only circumstance, it is plain, which his business requires him to attend to. The name of a veteran author is one, though by no means" au infallible, insurance against loss; just as a knowing jockey, destitute of other foundations for his betting system, will venture his money upon a descendant of Eclipse. Failing this kind of recommendation, the bookseller is often, and naturally enough, determined by considering the style of those works which have been successful about the same time. If he finds the new comer adopting the sort of topic, or form of composition, actually much in vogue, he is very apt to indulge the hope, that although it may intrinsically fall short of such as are esteemed the models of the day, his book may, nevertheless, fall in with the reigning taste and take advantage of the popular gale. This may not be thought, on the part of the bookseller, a very intellectual method; we are inclined, nevertheless, to suspect that it is one of the safest which he could adopt. We have had considerable opportunities of observation in these matters, and undoubtedly the result is, that whenever we hear of a young bookseller, as laying high pretensions to critical skill and acumen, we augur badly of his career. Among the unsuccessful booksellers whom we have chanced to know, the majority have been men who relied upon their own taste, and so ventured on speculations which would not have been hazarded by more cautious men, who confined themselves to the more mechanical part of the concern, and seldom looked beyond a title-page. We are not so absurd as to suppose that the bookseller, who adds to complete acquaintance with the commercial parts of his trade a liberal and enlightened familiarity with literature, is to be considered the less fit for his calling from such an acquisition. On the contrary, such a publisher must not only rise to the top of his profession, but become an ornament to his country and a benefactor to letters, while his fortune increases in proportion to his fame. His name, imparted with a mixture of liberality and caution, adds a consideration to the volumes on which it stands, and is in itself a warrant for their merit. But to rise to such a pitch of eminence requires an unusually sound judgment-and a long train of observation and experience—and he that attains it will seldom if ever be found to have acted, in the earlier stages of his business, under the impulses of pure literary enthusiasm. His object and rule is, and should be, to buy and and publish what bids fairest to be withdrawn from the counter by a steady and rapid sale; and no capacity for estimating what |