Search. I have often heard these words made use of, but I can hardly see any meaning in them. What do you mean by the word Faith? Prim. I answer in the words of the Apostle, “Faith is the evidence of things not seen.' Search. Very good.-By which, I suppose, is meant a belief in the things which we have not ourselves seen, grounded upon the witness or testimony of others. Prim. (pausing.) I see no objection to your explanation. Indeed, the Apostle's words require one. Faith is not, itself, the evidence, but the result or consequence of the evidence. Search. Then Faith is a kind of belief, and having Faith is Believing. Prim. Certainly. Search. Then, suppose a man, with whom you were very slightly acquainted, was to inform you that a ship was just come into St. George's Dock. Prim. I know not why I should not believe him. Search. Nor I neither. But suppose he were to tell you that he had seen a man walking on the pier without a head. Prim. I should think that he was either mistaken in his judgment, or that he wanted to impose upon me. Search. But suppose, forty or fifty men, all of known honesty and discretion, were to say, that they had seen such a sight, and had examined the matter thoroughly, and were sure that it was so. Prim. I should think it very strange; but if they were, as you describe them, men of known honesty and discretion, I think I should believe them, if I was sure I understood them. Search. Then your notion is, that the more unlikely and improbable any thing is, the greater is the weight of evidence necessary to make it believed. Prim. Certainly. Search. And by your saying, if they were, as you describe them, &c., I take it to be your opinion, that if a very improbable thing be asserted, it is natural to consider, whether the witnesses may not be themselves deceived, or wish to deceive us, or whether we do not mistake the meaning of what they tell us. Prim. That is certainly my opinion. Search. Then give me leave to advance one step further. When a thing impossible in nature is affirmed, no evidence can support it; for it is more probable, that we mistake the meaning of the assertion in question, or that the witnesses, who bear testimony to it, are deceived, or wish to deceive us,—than that an impossible thing should be true. For it is plain to common sense, that if a thing be impossible, it cannot be true. Prim. But how can you pretend to say what things are possible, and what impossible? Should not you be very careful about saying what is impossible? Search. Certainly; and more particularly, when we have reason to apprehend that GOD is speaking. I earnestly pray, that when I examine the words which came down from above, I may not do it with carelessness or presumption. As to what is possible, we know comparatively nothing. Our understandings, my friends, are limited. They sometimes struggle to break through the strong, yet concealed, net by which they are confined. But in this case, they constantly spend themselves in vain and fruitless toil, and frequently unfit themselves for that for which they were designed. I will not pretend then to say what is possible to God. And with respect to what is impossible, I shall only give you a rule, which I have adopted for myself, and shall endeavour to explain it as plainly as may be. But observe, that those things which are plainest to common sense are most difficult to be explained. In order then to determine whether any assertion be impossible, we must clearly understand that assertion in all its parts. Thus, if a man say my cane is a yard long, and only a foot long at the same time, I know this is impossible, because I know how much a yard is, and how much a foot is; I can compare them together, and be sure that the same thing cannot measure both. The assertion, then, that my cane is a yard long, and at the same time only a foot long, is a contradiction, an impossibility, and I cannot, by any authority, believe it. Do you see any objection to this? Prim. I cannot say I do. Search. Then, if there be found any seeming assertion in Scripture which asserts, as true, two different things, the one as plainly and evidently contradicting the other, as the assertion that I am six feet high and only three feet high at the same time, could you believe it? Prim. Why really, Mr. Search, you are too hard upon me, my brain is in such a whirl, with following you through all your turnings and windings, that I can hardly see whither you are leading me. Search. Dear sir, never think about whither I am leading you. Only consider and observe whether you are upon firm ground, as far as you go, and draw back the moment you see the contrary. Pray tell me why you reject the doctrine of Transubstantiation? Why do you think the sacramental wafer is not, at the same time, a wafer and the real body and blood of CHRIST? Prim. Because it is impossible; as impossible as that your cane should be a yard long, and a foot long at the same time. Search. Precisely what I should have said myself; you use the same notion of an impossibility as I do. You know what a wafer is; you know what body and blood is, and know that the same piece of matter cannot be both wafer, and body and blood at the same time. Prim. So it really apears. Search. Then, in this case, how do you reconcile your notions with the truth of GOD? for CHRIST said, This is my body." Prim. You very well know how I reconcile them. You well know that the language is figurative, and must be understood with limitation. Search. Then in this case, you do exactly as you say I was going to do-vou exalt human reason above faith. For, if reason did not come in the way, faith might swallow this doctrine. But I cannot admit of the propriety of this phrase," exalting reason above faith." Many mean by it, rejecting the word of GOD, and in place thereof, listening to the dictates of our reason. I reject this charge with horror. I have culti vated my reason to the best of my ability, and by the use thereof, I have been enabled to examine into the state of the world before the coming of our Lord. By this examination, I am convinced of the necessity of a divine Revelation, and am sincerely thankful to receive instruction from GOD. But I can act upon no law of GoD or man, without understanding it. I therefore endeavour to explain, in consistence with common sense, and the rest of the sacred volume, those parts which are hard to be understood. If I be wrong in my interpretation, I am fully confident, that the great and good Almighty Parent will not eternally condemn his creature for erring in judgment; and that those points of doctrine cannot be fundamental, which are contrary to the human understanding. Tightbound. It seems to me, Mr. Search, that if your plan be followed, every body must become his own parson. But if we talk much longer, I am afraid we must talk in the dark, for the evening is far advanced. Search. The true dignity and use of the clergy, Mr. Tightbound, will never be lessened by free inquiry. If their authority, or rather influence, be founded in reason and truth, it will thereby be strengthened, for reason and truth always prosper by inquiry. And I am sure you will both agree with me, that if their authority, in any instances, want this foundation, in those instances it ought not to be regarded. Humbly desiring that you will spend a little time in coolly considering the important subjects of this evening's conversation, I wish you a good night. ART. IV.—THE PICTORIAL SHAKSPERE. Second Notice. THERE is a peculiar satisfaction in the uncontrived coincidences of thought and wish, of which the writer of a notice of the above work, inserted in the preceding number of the Christian Teacher, has had a recent experience. Scarcely was his earnest desire expressed, that the plays of the great poet should be made known to the working classes, when a periodical publication of those invaluable compositions, ornamented with illustrative engravings, but nevertheless within the reach of the not quite indigent poor, began to attract the notice of the reading world. Owing to circumstances in which the public can take no interest, the present writer has not yet seen any of the numbers of the Illustrated Shakspere; but he rejoices in its existence, and cherishes the most sincere good wishes for its complete success. In regard to the edition to which the same contributor requested the attention of the readers of the Christian Teacher, he is glad to say, that up to the seventh part or number, (the last which at this time he will be able to notice) the work proceeds with unabated taste and spirit. And here the writer of this would stop, were it not that the encouragement he has received from several readers of this journal kindly compels him to make an effort in order to try whether, in spite of all difficulties, and supported only by his love of the subject, he can say anything that shall inspire the same love to others. Four of the historical plays are published at this moment (May 29th), King John, Henry II, and the first and second parts of Henry IV. Compared with the properly called Tragedies, these compositions do not stand in the first rank; but if the comparison be made with the historical plays of other Dramatists, both English and foreign, they exhibit the powers of the poet as unlimited and universal. We sometimes hear an inuendo from the incredulous in Shakspere-those excommunicated Heretics of Parnassus-that our poet, availing himself of an immense facility of versification, did little more, in respect to the historical subjects, than reduce the old chronicles to blank verse. Now, if facility of versification could give dramatic interest to mere portions of history, we should soon have the whole of Hume and Smollett upon the stage. It is true that Shakspere's historical dramas seem to have grown without effort out of the events recorded in the chronicles, or from some traditional chaVOL. I. No. 5.-New Series. 2 L racters established among the admirers of the theatres in earlier days than those of Shakspere.* But to say that he did most carefully elaborate these compositions is a gross error, grounded on ignorance combined with a very careless reading of the historical plays. Every one of them is a fresh instance of the astonishing creative power of our bard. An inferior writer would be seen constantly in feverish agitation in search of incidents to complicate the plots. Shakspere, on the contrary, allows the stream either of history or tradition to waft him on, at full ease; for he is conscious of a magic spell within, by means of which creations of the highest beauty and interest shall crowd to decorate the plain line of his course. We will say nothing of the inimitable Falstaff, and that world of wit of which he is not only the possessor in himself, but the cause of it in others. We hope to consider this exhilirating creation in connection with the important and difficult subject of "humour." For the present we will confine ourselves to that diversified assemblage of more serious characters, which the Poet has called to life by the absolute power of his genius. In what manner, we would ask, have the Chronicles contributed to the creation of Shakspere's Philip Falconbridge, of his Arthur, of Constance, of Hotspur, the charming Lady Percy, and that Lady Mortimer, with her "pretty Welsh," the language of her eyes, in which her enamoured husband was perfect? Where did our poet find the type of that "certain Lord, neat, trimly dressed, fresh as a bridegroom," whom Nature herself could hardly have created more exquisitely adapted to stand as a contrast to Henry Percy? We cannot agree with those, or 66 See a very interesting portion of the INTRODUCTORY NOTICE to KING JOHN, headed, SOURCES OF THE 'HISTORY' OF KING JOHN," Part II. of the Pictorial Shakspere, p. 5. 66 + The brain of this foolish-compounded clay, man, is not able to invent anything that tends to laughter, more than I invent, or is invented on me; I am not only witty in myself, but the cause that wit is in other men."-2nd Part Henry IV, Act I, Scene 2. Mortimer. I understand thy looks; that pretty Welsh, I am too perfect in; and, but for shame, In such a parley should I answer thee. I understand thy kisses, and thou mine, And that's a feeling disputation; But I will never be a truant, love, Till I have learn'd thy language; for thy tongue [Lady M. speaks. 1st Part King Henry IV, Act III, Scene 1. It is difficult to stop the pen when such poetry as the remainder of this Scene lies before the copyist. But we must refrain. Let not our readers do the same. |