so far as the mind is concerned, to engage in light reading, or such occupations as demand from it no effort. The student should ever remember that man is a compound being. Elevate him as high as you will, he is, after all, only half angel, half animal. He has a brain which lifts him above the brutes; but he has, at the same time, a stomach like them. The wants of both are imperious; and whoever, through pride, false reasoning, or sentimentalism, attempts to render one wholly independent of the other, transgresses the laws of nature; and will be fortunate, if disease is not the schoolmaster that makes him acquainted with his folly.

It is a well known fact, that many studious, sedentary, deep thinking men have uniformly enjoyed good health, and lived to a very great age. This is true of a number of the most distinguished philosophers of ancient and modern times. Their names are often quoted triumphantly by the indolent, and brought forward as proofs that exercise is not necessary to studious men. A closer acquaintance, however, with the habits and circumstances of these individuals, will be sufficient to show, that the conclusion is incorrect. They are to be considered rather as exceptions to a general rule, than examples for the encouragement of indolence and neglect of duty. It is, to say no more, as unwise to regulate our conduct by an exception in this, as in other cases. Most of these men owe their fame to uncommon talent, such as falls to the lot of few. Besides, who shall say that they were not possessed of an uncommon structure of body and mind, which peculiarly fitted them for great mental labour, and the elevated station they occupied in the scientific world? The failure of other men in these same pursuits, proves that they did possess a superior structure either of body or mind. And who shall say that they would not have lived longer, and done still more good in their day and generation, if they had lived more conformably to the laws of nature?

But be it remembered, that the very circumstances into which the genius of these men unavoidably brought them, gave to the mind, in a certain sense, that alternate labour and repose, upon which we have insisted. The objects of universal admiration, they were compelled, more frequently than most men of letters, to mingle with the world, and partake of its social amusements and occupations; by which they obtained the very rest, which less favoured individuals must procure from other sources. They were also constantly buoyed up by the cheering

stimulus of success; the natural consequence of which, is freedom and elasticity of mind. They were distinguished, also, for cheerfulness and contentment; the result in part, no doubt, of the pure pleasures of philosophy and religion; but still more of a peculiar natural temperament of body and mind. The testimony of the venerable Holyoke, and many other aged men, teaches us, that nothing contributes so much to health and long life, as contentedness of disposition, and a subdued state of the passions. They constitute an almost never failing evidence of a sound stomach and easy digestion.

No man is authorized to neglect physical education, and quote Newton as an excuse for it, unless he has first well ascertained that the Creator has given him equal talents, and endowed him with the same temperament of body and mind. Above all, before he comes to such a conclusion, let the clergyman call to mind the story of little Diamond; and substituting a bundle of sermons for the mathematical problems, ascertain whether his spirit could endure the same cruel test, and remain equally unruffled. Whoever contemplates the injurious action of the passions upon the stomach, and remembers the kind exclamation of the distinguished Prince of Philosophers' on this memorable occasion, will find, if I mistake not, a fact conducing to health and long life, more safe to imitate, than his neglect of exercise and his literary watchings.

It appears from what has been said, that the eventful period in which our lot is cast, requires of every man who would be faithful in his day and generation, unusual mental exertion, and consequently, is attended with peculiar dangers. That this high duty cannot be fulfilled, and these dangers averted, without adopting such a course of life as will produce health of body and strength of mind. That the word of God, amply confirmed by the structure and uses of the body and a knowledge of its diseases, by the history of ancient and the mournful experience of modern times, teaches us, that this desirable state cannot be obtained, without the adoption of habits of daily, regular, systematic exercise, upon such principles as are consistent with, and conformable to, the laws of the animal economy. That the neglect of this is one of the principal causes of the disorders which commonly afflict sedentary men; and that a strict observance of it, is one of the principal means, both of prevention and cure. It appears also, that the apparent exceptions to this rule, will be found, on accurate examination, to be clear, though indirect confirmations of its truth.

In conclusion, let me solemnly urge upon you, individually, the duty of a faithful investigation of this, and all the branches connected with the subject of physical education. It is a subject of vital importance to the church; and cannot be neglected by those to whom its interests are confided, without incurring a responsibility for all the evils which may follow such neglect. The body, as well as the mind, was given to be cultivated for the glory of the Creator. Know ye not, brethren, that your bodies are the temples of the living God?' And shall the temples of God be permitted to decay through negligence or sloth, and no guilt be incurred? Health is a talent intrusted to our care, which cannot with impunity be buried in the earth. He who squanders it, throws away a treasure of inestimable value, and will be answerable for the consequences. For every opportunity of doing good which is thus lost, for every degree of activity of which it deprives him, and for years of usefulness of which the church is thus deprived, he must be called to give a solemn account. How much sin does he accumulate, who, having enlisted as a soldier or leader in the cause of Christ, renders himself, by neglect, wholly or in part unfit for duty! Who can calculate his guilt, or estimate the vast amount of good, which he might otherwise have effected. At the day of judgment, I fear it will appear, that many who thought they were doing God service, were robbing the church, and defeating the purposes of Heaven, by shortening the life, and impairing the powers, which had been bestowed for their advancement.

The clergy often reprove their hearers for indifference and neglect, while listening to the most solemn truths. The principles which I have attempted to set forth in this discourse, when considered in all their possible relations to the great cause of christian benevolence, are very solemn truths. May I not then call upon them, on this occasion, to practise as well as hear; and to beware lest they also fall into the condemnation of those, who are hearers only and not doers of the Word !'

It is a favourite habit of the preacher, after having declared the words of truth and soberness, to throw off the responsibility from himself to the sinner. Perhaps the momentous consequences depending upon the neglect of this subject, may authorise me to do the same. I have declared to you the words of truth and soberness. I speak as unto wise men ; judge ye what I say.'

ART. VII. FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.

1. Extract from a Letter to Prof. Stuart from the REV. ELI SMITH, American Missionary to Palestine, written while on an exploring tour to Persia and Armenia.

MY DEAR SIR,

TEBREEZ, PERSIA, FEB. 18, 1831.

*

I need not inform you that I have not yet undertaken the task you assigned me, of translating the Arabic grammar mentioned to you by Mr Temple, when pressure of labour and other circumstances have hindered me so long from even replying to your letter. That grammar was, I suppose the Bahth El Mutalib of Ibn Ferhat, former Greek Catholic Bishop of Aleppo. The Arabic language contains many more erudite and copious works on grammar, a few of which are in my possession; but I recommended that for the excellence of its arrangement, the clearness and brevity of its explanations, and also perhaps from some partiality to it, for its being the first work that gave me any clear insight into the true genius of the Arabic language. I was far from wishing to disparage the work of De Sacy, which I think justly entitled to high estimation. But, even in the philosophy of grammar, for which you know it has been highly praised, it is after all little more than a compilation from Arabic authors, just sufficiently accommodated to European ideas and technical terms, to throw some degree of obscurity over the clearness of the pure Arabic originals. So that after dipping into the latter, I felt little inclination to make any other use of the learned Parisian, than as a glossary for the explanation of terms not found in Golius.

You are aware that the Arabians have cultivated the grammar of their language more, and more philosophically, than perhaps any other nation has its vernacular tongue; and such is the peculiar construction of their admirable dialect, itself reaching back perhaps to the very origin of speech, that in doing this they have unconsciously developed, with great simplicity and clearness, the first principles of the philosophy of general grammar. All their technical words, which the nature of their language enabled them to make for every occasion, are founded upon, and in fact explanatory of, this philosophy. The grammars of European VOL. II. No. 5.

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languages unfortunately afford few terms exactly corresponding with these, so that literally to translate an Arabic grammar is impossible, or if attempted must occasion both error and obscurity. The technical terms of the original must be left unchanged, or must be formally explained. In any attempt at the latter, perhaps no one would succeed better than De Sacy has done. In short, my opinion is, that the student, in order to drink deeply into the spirit of the Arabic tongue, should withdraw himself as far from the theories and technicalities of the grammars of European languages, as the language he is studying is different from them; and should plunge deeply into the native authors in their native tongue. You will therefore perceive, that besides thinking the task you impose not easily accomplished, I should deem the work of the Bishop deprived of a very large part of its intrinsic merit, when stripped of its original language.-One thing I should like very much to do with it, and that is, to print an edition to be used in native christian schools, as an elementary work.

The most interesting questions of a Biblical nature connected with Armenia, are the position of the mountains on which the ark rested, and the location of the Ten Tribes. The name of Ararat occurs, so far as I recollect, (for unfortunately I have neither Concordance nor Hebrew Bible with me,) but twice in the Old Testament, Gen. 8: 4, and Jerem. 51: 27; and both times as the name of a country, which in the last passage is said to have a king. It is well known that this was the name of one of the fifteen provinces of Armenia. It was situated nearly in the centre of the kingdom; was very extensive, reaching from a point above seven or eight miles east of the modern Erzroom, to within thirty or forty miles of Nakhchewan; yielded to none in fertility, being watered from one extremity to the other by the Araxes which divided it into two nearly equal parts; and contained some eight or ten cities, which were successively the residences of the kings, princes, or governors of Armenia, from the commencement of its political existence about 2000 years B. C. according to Armenian tradition, until the extinction of the Pagratian dynasty about the middle of the 11th century, with the exception of about 230 years at the commencement of the Arsacian dynasty, when Nisibis and Orfa were the capitals. It is therefore not unnatural that this name should be substituted for that of the whole kingdom, and thus become known to foreign nations, and that the king of Armenia should be called the king of Ara