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ers who are as much under the influence of the principle of witchcraft as these poor deluded women. In his judicious remarks, however, he does not appear to me to have adverted to the cause of witch and some other crafts, moral as well as physical,that phantom of a being called a Devil. The agency of this omnipresent author and promoter of all craft is maintained in this country both by church and state; and, while in our courts of law crimes are publicly denounced as being committed at the instigation of the devil, can it be expected that either his influence or that of his imps will entirely lose their influence on the minds of the uneducated? If King James had not been so fond of contending against witchcraft, we should not have read, most likely, of the witch, but of the ventriloquist, of Ender; nor would the term wilch have been in the translation of the Scripture, since it is not the proper rendering of any words used in the Hebrew writings. It was this King's fondness for demonology, as originating in the devil, which occasion ed this term to be so frequently and so improperly introduced by his subservient translators. The religion of Jesus is wholly free from any such absurdity, as that of inculcating a belief in any such beings as witches, devil, or devils. This, so far as I am capable of judging, has been most satisfactorily ascertained and proved in some discourses which I have lately read, delivered at Portsmouth, and published under the title of "an Analytical Investigation of the Scriptural Claims of the Devil," by a preacher of that town of the name of Scott. I think, if I were accused of committing any crime at the instigation of the devil, I should demur against the count which contained the charge, on the ground of its impossibility.

PIOUS LIBERTIES.

(Recreative Mag.) It may be asked, why expose the infirmities of the human mind? Why display so many instances of raving superstition and ignorance? To this we answer, that we wish them to be laughed down; for the authors of such farrago do much dis-service to religion, not among those who know how to discriminate, but among those who do not. If these rhapsodies had been acted only among the covenanters of Scotland, then it would not be worth while to drag forth the unwelcome records from their bygone obscurity; but the same cant is every now and then attempted to be obtruded among us, by the fanatics of the present day, who even go to the length of saying that they are sensible of the operations of the Holy Spirit, and even name time and place. Now we think this is going too far; so far indeed, as to deserve our ridicule! for reasoning with such inspirati, or illuminati, the favoured people, is altogether out of the question. In fact, fanatics never were any great friends to reason and learn

ing, and not without some kind of plea; first, because they have usually a slender provision of either; secondly, because a man has no occasion to spend his time and his pains in the studious way, who has an inward illumination to guide him to truth, and to make such labour unnecessary. Will it be pretended that certain pastors of the flock do not encourage all this? Read sectarian pamphlets and periodicals of the present period.

height than in the civil wars of Charles I: Never was hypocrisy carried to a greater they had Triers who appointed preachers to their livings, first asking them such verted? Where did you begin to feel the questions as these: When were you conwhat month? In what day? About what motions of the spirit? In what year? In hour of the day, had you the secret call or motion of the spirit, to undertake and la. bour in the ministry? What work of grace has God wrought upon your soul? and a great many other questions, about regeneration, predestination, and the like.

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Mechanics of all sorts were then preachers, and some of them were much admired and followed by the mob. "I am to tell thee, Christian reader, (says Dr. Featley, preface to his Dipper Dipped, 1647,) this new year, of new changes, never heard of into temples, and I will beg leave to add, in former ages, namely of stables turned temples turned into stables,stalls into quires, shopboards into communion tables, tubs inmechanics of the lowest rank into priests to pulpits, aprons into linen ephods, and of the highest places. I wonder that our door-posts and walls sweat not, upon which such notes as these have been lately affixed; on such a day such a brewer's clerk exerciseth, such a tailor expoundeth, such a waterman teacheth.' If cooks instead of mincing their meat, fall upon dividing of the word; if taylors leap up from the shopboard into the pulpit, and patch up sermons out of stolen shreds; if not only of the lowest of the people, as in Jeroboam's time, priests are consecrated to the most high God; do we marvel to see such confusion in the church as there is?" Here are felt-makers who can roundly deal with the blockheads and neutral demicasters of the world; cobblers who can give good rules for upright walking, and handle scripture to a bristle; coachmen who know how to lash the beastly enormities, and curb the headstrong insolence of this bru tish age, stoutly exhorting us to stand up for the truth, lest the wheel of destruction roundly overrun us. We have weavers that can sweetly inform us of the shuttle swiftness of the times,and practically thread out the vicissitudes of all sublunary things till the web of our life be cut off; and here are mechanics of my profession, who can separate the pieces of salvaion from those of damnation; measure out every man's por tion, and cut it out by thread; substantial

ly pressing the points, till they have fashionably filled up their work with a wellbottomed conclusion."

But to proceed: the Puritans in the days of Charles I. were so daring as to make saucy expostulations with God from the pulpit. Mr. Vines, in St. Clement's church, near Temple Bar, used the following words: "O Lord, thou hast never given us a victory this long while, for all our frequent fasting. What dost thou mean, O Lord, to fling us in a ditch and there leave us?" And one Robinson, in his prayer at Southampton, Aug. 25, 1642, expressed himself in the following manner: "O God, O God, many are the hands that are lift up against us; but there is one, God, it is thou thyself, O Father, who doest us more mischief than they all." They seemed to encourage this sauciness in their public sermons. "Gather upon God, (says Mr. R. Harris, Fast Sermon before the Commons) and hold him to it, as Jacob did; press him with his precepts, with his promises, with his hand, with his seal, with his oath, till we do dusopein, as some Greek Fathers boldly speak; that is, if I may speak it reverently enough, put the Lord out of countenance; put him, as you would say, to the blush, unless we be masters of our requests."

Evans goes still farther: "O God, O God, many are the hands lift up against us, but there is one, God, it is thou thyself, O Father, who doest us more mischief than they all (this was a favourite phrase). 0 Lord, when wilt thou take a chair and sit among the house of Peers? And when, O God, when, I say, wilt thou vote among the honourable house of Commons? We know, O Lord, that Abraham made a covenant, and Moses and David made a covenant,and our Saviour made a covenant; but thy Parliament's covenant is the greatest of all I say this is God's cause, and if our God has any cause, this it is; and if this be not God's cause, then God is no God for me, but the devil has got up into heav

covenants.

en."

It is curious to observe, that those who took these pious liberties, took the liberty also of quarrelling with the most innocent customs then in use, as the eating of Christmas pies and plum-porridge at Christmas, which they reputed as very sinful. This might be further illustrated if we had room. These were the people who considered mirth to be only made for reprobates, and cheerfulness of heart denied those who are the only persons that have a proper title

to it.

The author of The Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 4to. 1693,' speaks of "the force that a loud voice and a whining tone, in broken and smothered words, have upon the Presbyterian rabble; that they look not upon a man as endued with the spirit of God, without such canting and deformity of holiness. A person that hath the dexterity of whining, may make a great congregation of them weep with an ode of

Horace, or an eclogue of Virgil; especially if he can but drivel a little, either at the mouth or eyes, when he repeats them. And such a soul may pass for a soul-ravishing spiritualist, if he can but set off his nonsense with a wry mouth, which with them is called a grace-pouring-down countenance. The snuffling and twang of the nose passes for the gospel sound: and the throwings of the face for the motions of the spirit." But we shall now proceed to give some extracts from this book, with the pious hope that the ludicrous instances cited will stop those who are getting into this way, and prevent any sect starting up in future, to act their parts in this manner; viz. in giving us a torrent of words, and but a drop of sense :

Mr. W. Guthrie, of Fenwick, hath a printed sermon full of curses and imprecations. "Will you gang, man, to the cursed curates? Gang! and the vengeance of God gang with thee; the devil rug their hearts out of their sides."

Mr. Kirkton, lately in the church he possesses at Edinburgh, began his sermon thus: 'Devil take my soul and body.' The people startling at the expression, he anticipates their wonder with this correction;

you think, Sirs, this is a strange word in the pulpit, but you think nothing of it out of the pulpit; but what if the devil should take many of ye when ye utter such lancockups (part of the head-dress we supguage? Another time preaching against God, preaching against the vanity of wompose,) he told, I have been this year of e, yet I see my own daughter in the kirk even now, have as high a cockup as any of you all.'

house on the Castle Hill of Edinburgh, adMr. Kirkton, preaching in his meetingduced several instances of the poverty of the people of God: amongst others, he had this remarkable one; Brethren, (says he) critics with their frim frams, and whytie whaties (trifles) may imagine a hundred reasons for Abraham's going out of the land of Chaldea; but I will tell you what poor man, was forced to run out of the was always my opinion, I believe Abraham, land of Judea, for debt.

venticle in the beginning of King James's One Fraser, of Bray, preaching at a conreign, began his discourse thus: "I am of the curates, and in spite of the prelates come here to preach this day, Sirs, in spite their masters, and in spite of the King their his master, and in spite of the Pope of master, and in spite of the Hector of France, Rome, that's both their master, and in spite of the Devil, that's all their master."

church last year, said, "Lord have mercy Mr. Areskine, praying in the Tron church on all fools, and idiots, and particularly on the magistrates of Edinburgh."

blind Mr. Best, at Utretcht, use this expresI have (says the author) often heard sion in his prayers: "O Lord, confound that man of sin, that child of perdition, that Anti-Christ, the Pope of Rome : thou

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Time brings up many new and strange things, and there are evolutions in men's minds as well as in their circumstances. Our old historiographers examined subjects with original views; and, though not the most respectable of writers, expressed their

ideas with clearness. Hollingshed wrote during the reign of Queen Elizabeth; his intention was manifestly good, in noticing the increase of luxury as prevailing in his days; but few, probably, will adopt an opinion which he gives, respecting an invention from which so many advantages accrue. Among other daily changes, he protests against "the multitude of chimneys lately erected, whereas, in the sound remembrance of some old men, there were not above two or three, if so many, in most uplandish towns in the reign."

HEROISM.

(Lit. Gaz. Oct.)

The plague raged more violently than ever at Marseilles. Every link of affection was broken, the father turned from the child, the child from the father cowardice, ingratitude, no longer excited indignation. Misery is at its height when it thus destroys every generous feeling, that dissolves every tie of humanity! The city became a desert, grass grew in the streets, a funeral met you at every step. The physicians assembled in a body at the Hotel de Ville, to hold a consultation on the fearful disease, for which no remedy had yet been discovered. After a long deliberation, they decided unanimously that the malady had a peculiar and mysterious character, which opening a corpse alone might develope,-an operation it was impossible to attempt, since the operator must infallibly become a victim in a few hours, beyond the power of human art to save him, as the violence of the attack would preclude their administering the accustomed remedies. A dead pause succeeded this fatal declaration. Suddenly a surgeon named Guyon, in the prime of life, and of great celebrity in his profession, rose and said firmly, "Be it so: 1 devote myself for the sake of my country. Before this numerous assembly I swear, in the name of humanity and religion, that to-morrow, at the break of day, I will dissect a corpse, and write down as I proceed, what I

observe." He left the assembly instantly. They admire him, lament his fate, and doubt whether he will persist in his design. The intrepid and pious Guyon, animated by all the sublime energy religion can inspire, acted up to his words. He had never married, be was rich, and he immediately made a will dictated by justice and piety; he confessed, and in the middle of the night received the sacraments. A man had died of the plague in his house within four and twenty hours: Guyon at day break shut himself up in the same room; he took with him an inkstand, paper, and a little crucifix. Full of enthusiasm, never had he knelt more firm or more collected: kneeling before the corpse, he wrote: "Mouldering remains of an immortal soul, not only can I gaze on thee without horror, but even with joy and gratitude. Thou wilt open to me the gates of a glorious eternity. In discovering to me the secret cause of the terrible disease which destroys my native city, thou wilt enable me to point out some salutary remedy-thou wilt render my sacrifice useful. Oh God! (continued he,)thou wilt bless the action thou hast thyself inspired." He began,—he finished the dreadful operation, and recorded in detail his surgical observations. He then left the room, threw the papers in a the lazaretto, where he died in twelve vase of vinegar, and afterwards sought

hours a death ten thousand times

more glorious than the warrior's, who, to save his country, rushes on the enhope, at least, sustained, admired, and emy's ranks, since he advances with seconded by a whole army.-La Peste de Marseilles, by Madame de Genlis.

verley Novel is laid in Scotland, and the time about forty years ago.

We hear that the scene of the next Wa

Mr. Maturin's forthcoming Romance is called the "Albigenses ;" and founded upon historical events of the early part of the 13th century, interwoven with the fictitious part of the narrative.

The Expedition to the Polar Regions, under Captain Parry, has returned. The dis coveries during this voyage have not yet transpired.

New Works.-Lizar's Views of Edinburgh, No. 3, royal 4to 5s.-Britton's Grapic and Literary Illustrations of Fonthill Abbey, medium 4to. 21s.; imperial 4to. 21.2s.

SPIRIT

OF THE

ENGLISH MAGAZINES.

BOSTON, DECEMBER 15, 1823.

(London Mag.)

SEA-ROAMERS-OLD JOHNNY WOLGAR.

List ye landsmen all to me.

THAT "one half of the world

does not know how the other half lives, is a very ancient truth, I fancy, and, in spite of the advances of knowledge, it is perfectly applicable, I believe, in the present era of mankind. Every man has his own world, or a little plot cut out of the great mass to which his own wants and habitudes confine his experience, and which he calls "the world." The Duke of has so many courses served up to his dinner-table daily, the remains of which, he is positive, are removed to be consumed by his servants; and this, he determines, is the way of "the world." Every body does so. He wears a coat three weeks, and then makes it over to his butler-and that ‣ is how people get clothed. Not a dozen streets from his princely mansion, there are human beings wondering, whether "the bone hashed up with a few potatoes will do for to-morrow;" others agreeing that a bit of mutton "is rather high, but wil! do to make broth of:" and a fellow-creature protesting that, shabby as his coat is, it will go a month or two yet-turned; yet such things are as inconceivable to the Duke as if they were occurrences of another planet. Has his Grace the smallest conception that there is such a stratagem on our earth as re-beavering a hat, and reviving a pair of trowsers? Not he, believe it.

27 ATHENEUM VOL. 14.

There are means of earning a subsistence-modes of human toil, so out of the great high-ways of industry-so disconnected from the regular rattle and bustle of the community-so lowly-lone, and independent of all general interests; that, with regard to ordinary observers, they may be said to be absolutely invisible to the naked eye. You must search for themstoop down to them-handle them— · as you would some minute and mysterious process of animal life-put your ear to them-smell at them--before you can ascertain or guess at their nature and use. What is that strangelooking man about? What thenpampered sloth! You will not go and see? Well-stay a little, and I will tell you all about it. I can assure the great Duke before-mentioned, that he may see an old man clad in black sackcloth, with a rope round his waistbent, and wan and grey-pass by his window daily at his breakfast-time, who feeds and clothes himself (just as his Grace may see) with the profit accruing from old bones which he picks up from the public streets. I am positively serious, yet his Grace, I dare say, will pause from his chocolate, and listen to the fact with the same sort of incredulous wonder with which he might hear that there are living beings some hundred thousands of times less than a mite. And this too is far-far indeed,

from the limit of human littleness and of the returns given by this occupation desolation.

The accidents of my life have often brought me into very intimate communion with the poor, so as to make me perfectly familiar with their dispositions and habits, as dependent upon the peculiar circumstances of their condition, and let me into many secrets of strange drudgery and privation, which, as I never saw them mentioned under any head in the quarterly reports of our ever-increasing prosperity, are, I imagine, very little known or felt for out of the bosoms of the sufferers. The obscurity, remoteness, and narrowness of their "world"—and the extreme insignificance of their relations with the worlds of other people, readily account for the sort of exile in which they live from common sympathy; a state still further secured to them by the gentle and quiet humility of their

Own

manners and deportment-for, though the last-the lowest among the sons of toil, they are never forward to announce themselves in the angry language of repining and discontent. They have still something to lose who lift up their voices to 'remonstrate and threaten. The poor patient drudges of whom I am speaking, who have nothing more to fear-and they know not what to gain-lay down their heads nightly in perfect gratitude that they are permitted to live. Oh! how beautiful are the dispensations of nature! how certain her consolations! how allcovering her charities in every condition of human existence!

I have lately been much in the company of a class of lowly labourers, calling themselves Sea-Roamers, who work out, I think, about as stubborn and precarious a "daily bread" from this earth of ours, as any men who have ever fallen under my observation. They are not of the order of adventurers called wreckers; the service of the wrecker is uncertain and occasional; whereas, the roamer is a never-failing attendant at the sea-side, where he wanders about from morning till night, to pick up (if God sends him luck, says he) the refuse-the offal of the sea, native and extraneous, that is cast ashore by the tides. The nature and extent

to a life of toil, through a winter's season and severities, I will explain in due time. The circumstances of the searoamer may derive a certain fanciful dignity from the external scenery in which he moves,-from his bold familiarity with storm and rain, and the undisputed freehold which he has and enjoys in the ample sky, and the pure breath of the bountiful sea; but, in all essential respects of rank and consequence, he stands in about the same relation to society, as those Cyclops-like figures, with sacks at their backs, which my London readers, no doubt, must have often seen lurking about under back walls, and in dingy corners, rifling the treasures of cinder-heaps. These searchers of cinders are more abject in their appearance; they are blackblear-eyed, and have a fertive, larcenous look about them, which is not prepossessing; but still they may be honest, (when back doors are shut) and as to substantial profits they rather outdo, I believe, the poor rangers of the beach. I shall, perhaps, best illustrate the nature and vicissitudes of sea-roaming, by some little account of the life one of its most assiduous followers; a man with whose ways I happen to be deeply conversant, and who surely deserves some notice, as having been long known between Castle Point and Birley Gap, on the coast of S――as "King of the I adopt this plan too the Roamers." more readily, seeing that this distinguished old beach-man had, independent of his merits and services in his profession, many peculiarities in his actions, manners, and deportment, that rendered him a very interesting personage; so much so, that, even among the dull partners of his labours, he had the credit of being "quite a character." Half an hour's biography, collected from his pilgrimage of nearly fourscore years on this globe, may not be unentertaining, I hope, to the reader, and, perhaps, not quite uninstructive.

"Old Johnny Wolgar" had always lived in his native place, a small town on the Coast of S-, where, in one form of enterprise or another, he had always, as the phrase is, followed the sea. I propose to say little of him but

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