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advantage of rising and deepening as it proceeds, marking the increase of spiritual knowledge, and growth in grace of its author. Of many among the letters it would be difficult to speak too highly, so well do they meet the wants, the trials, temptations and deceptions of the human heart. It would be difficult to find a person who should turn over its pages without being arrested by something specially applicable to himself. The style is elegant, and unaffected. Having yielded this just tribute of commendation, we must add a wish that the first two letters were wholly, or very nearly omitted. We do not like to view scripture apart from its divine character of inspiration, or to test it by the poor standard of human taste; far less can we endure to see a parallel drawn between what holy men of old wrote as they were moved by the HOLY GHOST, and the fictitious characters and fancy-wrought scenes of Shakspeare. What though it be to prove that all which men most greatly admire in the poetic page was derived from the sublimity of God's word, the mind recoils from such comparisons: and when Lord Byron is brought forward as another instance of successful, though unacknowledged and unconscious spoliation from the same holy source, we feel somewhat as if the loathsome putrescence of a dead dog were pointed out to us, as a beautiful instance of the vivifying heat that emanates from the glorious noon-day sun, shining afar off, in cloudless ether. We deny not the fact, but we utterly abominate the illustration, and turn disgusted away. Greatly, too, should we marvel at the spectacle of a Christian parent placing Shakspeare's plays in her childrens' hands, or leaving the book within their reach.

The third letter is beautiful and we cordially wish it formed the commencement of a volume which we greatly admire. The appalling force of the concluding stanzas, entitled 'The lost Spirit,' must reach to every heart, not utterly hardened, among the classes severally addressed. May the Lord guide them, to convince and awaken many!

THE NATURE OF THE DIVINE AGENCY, in reference to the inspiration of the scriptures; the mission of Christ; the formation of Christian virtues ; and its practical bearings. By the Rev. Stephen Davies, B.C.L. of Queen's College, Cambridge, and Curate of Bow, Brick-hill, Bucks. Hatchards.

THE importance of attaining clear views on this subject is unspeakably great. In our day, the wildest fanaticism, leading to errors destructive of men's souls, has distracted the church. A body has been formed, combining in itself the essences of popery and socinianism, arrogating to its own spurious church exclusive salvation, and, in the name of the Holy Spirit bringing disgrace on the Christian name. Mr. Davies makes no allusion to this; but as the full reception of truth is the best preservative against error, we regard his book as bearing on the point; and have great satisfaction in recommending it as a very pleasing, instructive work, adapted for old and young, and calculated, under the divine blessing, to do much good.

THE FAITHFUL SERVANT ADORNING THE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

Society.

Religious Tract

THERE has recently been a sort of controversy carried on, in the columns of the Record, concerning the general character of servants. With that, we do not wish to meddle, farther than to deprecate the very sweeping denunciation levelled by one party, against that important class of our fellow-subjects. The great fault appears to lie to us here; that after giving girls an education at our National and Sundayschools, we do not sufficiently follow up the work, by carrying the same watchful and friendly observance into their after course. One way of doing this, is by placing in their hands plain, useful books, of a decidedly spiritual and practical character. Already we have noticed 'My Station and its Duties,' with its sequel 'Going to Service,' as invaluable helpers to a youthful domestic. We now add the little work before us, as excellently adapted to the purpose designed. It is a collection of anecdotes and illustrations, short, and to the point. If half the time and breath expended in recapitulating the faults of our servants and bewailing them were devoted to a consistent, sustained effort for their guidance and improvement, the case would alter, much for the better. We do too little, and expect too much!

GERTRUDE AND HER FAMILY. By the author of' A visit to my birth-place,' &c. Tims.

A PLEASING story. Its object is principally to controvert the awful heresy of socinianism, and this the author has successfully done in the course of conversations, incident to the narrative. It is a work of fiction, but abounds with truths of vital importance, placed in clear opposition to the errors that would subvert them.

THE PROTESTANT.

THERE exists in this boasted land of freedom, a class of persons, continually before the public, whose hard case excites little commiseration, although to all observers it is manifestly one of sore bondage. Those who write for the press, especially for the periodical press; and who, when they have ascertained the impossibility of pleasing all tastes, are obliged to inquire what is the good pleasure of the majority; and thereto they must conform, at almost any expence of individual taste, feeling, and even of judgment-not of principle, certainly.

It is, however, no easy matter to decide where this majority lies; the contents being usually silent, it is only when we strike into a different path, and so invest them with the character of non-contents, that they begin to speak out, not unfrequently convincing us that we have erroneously computed the relative strength of either party. Somewhat of this I have lately experienced: making a surrender of what I could ill spare, to the supposed wishes of my readers generally and receiving my reward in an overwhelming torrent of expostulations and rebukes. Still I persevered, reluctant to incur the farther charge of inconsistency and caprice: but that delightful season having come round again, which, from time immemorial, has been set apart for assembling round their domestic hearth the scattered mem

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