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tracy, has no other foundation. The whole is built, both in form and substance, upon the same oath of every one of its ministers to do justice, as God shall help them hereafter. What God? what hereafter? That God, undoubtedly, who has commanded kings to rule, and judges to decree with justice; who has said to witnesses, not only by the voice of nature, but in revealed commandments, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor; and who has enforced obedience to them by the revelation of the unutterable blessings which shall attend their observance, and the awful punishments which shall await upon their transgression.

But it seems this is an age of reason, and the time and the person are at last arrived that are to dissipate the errors which have overspread the past generations of ignorance. The believers in Christianity are many, but it belongs to the few that are wise to correct their credulity. Belief is an act of reason, and superior reason may, therefore, dictate to the weak. In running the mind over the long list of sincere and devout Christians, I cannot help lamenting that Newton had not lived to this day, to have had his shallowness filled up with this new flood of light. But the subject is too awful for irony. I will speak plainly and directly. Newton was a Christian! Newton, whose mind burst forth from the fetters cast by nature upon our finite conceptions; Newton, whose science was truth, and the foundation of whose knowledge of it was philosophy; not those visionary and arrogant assumptions which too often usurp its name, but philosophy resting upon the basis of mathematics, which, like figures, cannot lie; Newton, who carried the line and rule to the utmost barriers of creation, and explored the principles by which, no doubt, all created matter is held together and exists.

But this extraordinary man, in the mighty reach of his mind, overlooked, perhaps, the errors which a minuter investigation of the created things on this earth might have taught him. What shall then be said of the great Mr. Boyle, who looked into the organic structure of all matter, even to the inanimate substances which the foot treads on? Such a man may be supposed to have been equally qualified with Mr. Paine "to look through nature up to nature's God;" yet the result of all his contemplations was the most confirmed and devout belief in all which the other holds in contempt, as despicable and drivelling superstition.

But this error might, perhaps, arise from a want of due attention to the foundations of human judgment, and the structure of that understanding which God has given us for the investigation of truth. Let that question be answered by Mr. Locke, who, to the highest pitch of devotion and adoration, was a Christian-Mr. Locke, whose office was to detect the errors of thinking by going up to the very fountains of thought, and to direct into the proper track of reasoning the devious mind of man, by showing him its whole process,

from the first perceptions of sense to the last conclusions of ratiocination; putting a rein, besides, upon false opinion by practical rules for the conduct of human judgment.

But these men, it may be said, were only deep thinkers, and lived in their closets, unaccustomed to the traffic of the world and to the laws which practically regulate mankind. Gentlemen, in the place where you now sit to administer the justice of this great country, above a century ago the never-to-be-forgotten Sir Matthew Hale presided, whose faith in Christianity is an exalted commentary upon its truth and reason, and whose life was a glorious example of its fruits in man; administering human justice with a wisdom and purity drawn from the pure fountain of the Christian dispensation, which has been, and will be in all ages, a subject of the highest reverence and admiration.

But it is said by Mr. Paine that the Christian fable is but the tale of the more ancient superstitions of the world, and may be easily detected by a proper understanding of the mythologies of the heathens. Did Milton understand those mythologies? Was he less versed than Mr. Paine in the superstitions of the world? No ;they were the subject of his immortal song; and, though shut out from all recurrence to them, he poured them forth from the stores of a memory rich with all that man ever knew, and laid them in their order as the illustration of that real and exalted faith, the unquestionable source of that fervid genius which has cast a sort of shade upon all the other works of man

"He pass'd the flaming bounds of place and time:
The living Throne, the sapphire blaze,
Where angels tremble while they gaze,
He saw: but, blasted with excess of light,
Closed his eyes in endless night."

But it was the light of the body only that was extinguished: "The celestial light shone inward, and enabled him to justify the ways of God to man." The result of his thinking was, nevertheless, not the same as Mr. Paine's. The mysterious incarnation of our blessed Saviour, which the "Age of Reason" blasphemes in words so wholly unfit for the mouth of a Christian, or for the ear of a court of justice, that I dare not and will not give them utterance, Milton made the grand conclusion of PARADISE LOST, the rest of his finished labors, and the ultimate hope, expectation, and glory of the world.

Thus you find all that is great, or wise, or splendid, or illustrious, among created beings; all the minds gifted beyond ordinary nature, if not inspired by their universal Author for the advancement and dignity of the world, though divided by distant ages and by clashing opinions, yet joining as it were in one sublime chorus to celebrate the truths of Christianity, and laying upon its holy altars the never-fading offerings of their immortal wisdom.

JANE TAYLOR, 1783-1824.

JANE TAYLOR, the second daughter of Isaac Taylor, was born in London on the 23d of September, 1783. When she was in her fourth year, her father, who was an engraver, removed with his little family to Lavenham, in Suffolk, about sixty-two miles north of London. Confined as she had been to the narrow bounds of a city life, her spirits here soon broke forth with emotions of pleasure at the new objects around her, quite unusual at that age, and it was soon seen that she was a child of no common endowments. As early as her eighth year, it is believed she began to write verses, which she showed to no one but to her elder sister, for whom she entertained an affection of the warmest character. In 1796, Mr. Taylor felt it his duty to accept the earnest invitation of a Congregational church at Colchester, in Essex, to become their pastor, and accordingly he removed thither. Here he found an enlarged and a more intelligent society; and when he had been there about two years, Jane, then about fifteen years of age, formed with her sister and six or eight young friends a little society for the reading of original essays, and the promotion of their intellectual improvement. Here was an admirable field for the exercise of her powers, and she doubtless performed her part well; but being naturally diffident, and knowing that she was one of the youngest members of the society, she never put herself forward in their exercises. Besides, she felt that she had other duties to perform, and with most commendable assiduity she assisted her mother in the various employments incident to a growing family, taking, with her sister, alternate weeks in all the household affairs.

In the spring of the year 1802, Jane Taylor visited London for the first time since her childhood. Here she formed various inestimable and lasting friendships, from which she derived, through the remainder of her life, much of her highest enjoyment, and to which she was wont to attribute the happiest influence upon her character. The first piece of hers which appeared in print was her poem of "The Beggar's Boy," which was published in 1804 in a work called "The Minor's Pocket Book." The approbation it met with encouraged her to write more, and soon a little volume appeared, entitled "Original Poems for Infant Minds," and another, "Rhymes for the Nursery," in both of which she was assisted by her sister. These soon obtained extensive circulation, and were republished in this country.

Toward the close of the year 1810, Mr. Taylor resigned his ministerial charge at Colchester, and about the same time the next year removed with his family to Ongar, having accepted the invitation of the Congregational church there, to be

1 He, the father, "Isaac Taylor of Ongar," is the author of the following: "Addresses to Youth at School;"" Advice to the Teens;" "Book of Martyrs for the Young;""Bunyan Explained to a Child;""Beginnings of British Biography:""Character Essential to Success in Life;" "Scenes in England:" "Hints to Youth leaving School;" "Wonders of Nature and Art:" European Biography," &c. The son, "Isaac Taylor," has written the following: "Ancient Christianity:" "Spiritual Despotism;" "Fanaticism;" "Natural History of Enthusiasm:" Physical Theory of Another Life;" "Elements of Thought;" "Saturday Even ing:"Transmission of Ancient Books to Modern Times," &c.

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come their pastor. Here Jane and her sister formed a design of opening a school for young ladies, but the project was not carried into effect. In 1815, Jane published a tale on which she had been engaged for two or three years, called "Display," which was received with very great favor; and the next year appeared her "Essays in Rhyme on Morals and Manners." Soon after the publication of this admirable and instructive little volume, she made a public profession of her faith in Christ, and became a member of the church at Ongar, under the pastoral care of her father. By this time her health began to give way under too constant application to study, and it soon became evident that her disease was of a pulmonary character. This, however, did not cause her to give up her pen, for between 1816 and 1822 she contributed, from time to time, to the "Youth's Magazine," those excellent pieces signed "Q. Q.," which consist of religious and moral precepts, and interesting information, all given in a simple and beautiful style, and of which it has justly been said, "they cannot be too highly praised.”

During the latter years of Miss Taylor's life, notwithstanding her feeble health, she was constantly engaged in works of benevolence. She originated at Ongar a ladies' working society for the poor, became a constant and most laborious teacher in the Sunday-school, and gave instruction to the children of the poor, one afternoon in the week, in writing and arithmetic. During all this time the slow, but certain progress of her complaint, prevented her from attempting to execute some literary projects which she had had in contemplation. It was now deemed by her friends advisable that she should take short journeys, from time to time, for the benefit of her health; but these were of no permanent benefit, and she returned home to die. Almost the last words she was able to utter, in her extreme weakness, were, on the morning of the 12th of April, 1824,-"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me;" and on the evening of that day she calmly breathed her last.

Of the character of Miss Taylor's writings, there can be but one opinion. If conveying valuable instruction to the youthful mind in a most pleasing and interesting manner, and impressing upon it the soundest principles of morality and religion in a style calculated to win the affections and to determine the resolution to take the right path-if this be doing good, then few will be found to have exerted a wider and purer influence, and to have better "answered life's great end," than Jane Taylor of Ongar.

THE SQUIRE'S PEW.1

A slanting ray of evening light
Shoots through the yellow pane;
It makes the faded crimson bright,
And gilds the fringe again;

The window's gothic framework falls
In oblique shadow on the walls.

"The verses of Jane Taylor on her "Squire's Pew" is a lyric of exquisite originality and beauty, which I take some credit to myself for having rescued from comparative obscurity"-D. M. MOIR.

And since those trappings first were new

How many a cloudless day,

To rob the velvet of its hue,

Has come and pass'd away!
How many a setting sun hath made
That curious lattice-work of shade!

Crumbled beneath the hillock green
The cunning hand must be,

That carved this fretted door, I ween,
Acorn, and fleur-de-lis ;

And now the worm hath done her part
In mimicking the chisel's art.

In days of yore (as now we call)
When the first James was king,
The courtly knight from yonder hall
Hither his train did bring;

All seated round in order due,
With broider'd suit and buckled shoe.

On damask cushions, set in fringe,
All reverently they knelt:
Prayer-books, with brazen hasp and hinge,
In ancient English spelt,

Each holding in a lily hand,

Responsive at the priest's command.

Now, streaming down the vaulted aisle,
The sunbeam, long and lone,
Illumes the characters awhile

Of their inscription stone;

And there, in marble hard and cold,
The knight and all his train behold.

Outstretch'd together, are express'd
He and my lady fair;

With hands uplifted on the breast,
In attitude of prayer;

Long visaged, clad in armor, he,—
With ruffled arm and bodice, she.

Set forth in order ere they died,
The numerous offspring bend;
Devoutly kneeling side by side,
As though they did intend
For past omissions to atone,
By saying endless prayers in stone.

Those mellow days are past and dim,
But generations new,

In regular descent from him,

Have fill'd the stately pew;

And in the same succession go,

To occupy the vault below.

And now, the polish'd, modern squire,

And his gay train appear,

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