any who are preparing for the ministry, we would ask them to think of this fact in the education of Mr. Stearns. It would certainly be a great point gained, and we think the community, at large, will sustain us in the remark, if, like him, they could dare to venture into the circle of the higher culture, intellectual advancement, and liberalizing influences of Harvard University. Their tastes, they may rely upon it, would be refined; their religious horizon enlarged; their knowledge of books and men and life be greatly extended; their power of utterance and of operating upon other minds increased; and their efficiency as writers and speakers, in all respects, improved.

The "Discourses" appended to the "Life" are fourteen in number, including the fragment of his projected farewell sermon to his people of the Old South Church and Society. But we have not left ourselves any room to make extracts from them, and can only quote a few paragraphs from what, as we have already said, we consider the most favorable, and certainly the most finished specimen of his mind in the volume; we mean his "Address delivered before the Porter Rhetorical Society in Andover, Sept. 1828." His subject was the "Genius of Pulpit Eloquence."

"Another characteristic of sacred eloquence, and perhaps the most important of all to success in the business of the pulpit, is earnestness. Religion is not a system of abstract precepts and propositions, on which one may discourse with as much indifference as he would demonstrate a mathematical problem, or discuss a question in political economy. It properly affords no subjects on which the essayist or the scholar may play his part, and furnish amusement for a vacant hour. It comes to us as an angel from the upper world, bearing tidings of thrilling interest, telling us of our own immortal destiny, and opening a pathway to the skies. We receive it, if we receive it at all, into our tenderest sympathies, and give it a welcome entrance.

"The preacher is supposed to have felt its influence, and to speak from the experience of his own heart. Men look for expressions of feeling, in harmony with the truths he proclaims. He is surrounded by beings, formed like himself with capacities for eternal joy, and exposed to the danger of eternal wo. Heaven opens to their faith, and Jesus, with the benignity of God and the sympathy of man, is seen bending to invite them thither. The world allures but to deceive, the spoiler ceases not from his insidious work, and the abyss beneath, heaving its terrific VOL. XXV. — -3D s. VOL. VII. NO. III.

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clouds of darkness, reveals the second death. Can he speak, and his soul not be moved? Can words alone be eloquent on such themes as these? It is the melting eye, the glowing cheek, the fervent look, the earnest voice, the whole man vibrating in every nerve, and moving right on with unconscious power, that must give to such truths the form of eloquence. It is not the clamor of declamation, it is not the language of extravagance or bold metaphor, it is not theatrical display, it is not pas

it is not poetry,—but it is simple earnestness.” — pp.

sion, 204, 205.

The concluding paragraph is as follows:

"I have spoken, it is true, of that eloquence which it is our duty to study and attempt, rather than our hope to attain. There are many circumstances in the life of a Christian minister, peculiarly unfavorable to the highest style of dignified and simple eloquence. We shall, no doubt, suffer many embarrassments, which will repress our energies, and hinder us from success. But, though we cannot hope to realize even our present conceptions, we must not yield in sullen despair, we will not shrink in tame neglect of our duty. The thought of a world in sin may sometimes stir up all our sympathies, and urge us to those wild and unnatural efforts, which defeat their object; but we will still remember that Jesus was never rash. His eloquence was always calm,—and he who spoke as one having authority, knew best how to affect the human heart. We shall often be oppressed with thronging cares, and prevented from enriching our minds and improving our taste in the study of the standard works of genius; but let us not neglect the opportunities that are given to enter those splendid temples, and, bearing away their offered riches, consecrate them to Christ and the church. There must come those dreary hours, when our enfeebled bodies will sink under the burdens of an office whose duties never cease, and our minds, driven to extreme lassitude, will fail us, all that we know be gone from our recollections,—and the few thoughts, that float in dim vision before our eyes, refuse to take form or name; but we will at least open our minds to the impressions of surrounding objects, and learn something even from the consciousness of our own imbecility. The heart, too, will sometimes faint, or become coldly indifferent, in the reaction of habitual excitement, our sensibilities grow dull,· the sublime truths of religion cease to exhilarate us, - and the affecting scenes of sinful, suffering humanity only shroud us in tearless gloom; but let us then drink more deeply at the fountain of devotion, and, with struggling efforts, gather that warm and vital

earnestness, which can make us eloquent. However we may be situated, wheresoever God in his providence may place us, on the plains of Hindoo, on the hills of Palestine, in the wilds of western America, in the islands of the distant ocean, or among the churches that our fathers have left us, we will not fail to exert our strength in the use and improvement of the talents which our Creator has given us for his service; and when, at last, any of us may be allowed to stand before his tribunal, and present a few souls, saved through his blessing on our efforts,our toils shall all be forgotten, our labors will be too richly compensated, and our hearts, more eloquent than our tongues, shall say for us, 'Not unto us, but to thy name, be all the glory."- pp. 205-207.

This is true, and is eloquently expressed. We doubt not that the hearts of many of his brethren in the Christian ministry, will respond to these touching allusions to the discouragements and sinking of the spirit within, which the "world knows not of." They cannot, indeed, be avoided by those who feel the dignity and responsibleness of their high calling, viewed in connexion with the unworthiness of their best efforts. Happy will it be for all such, if, like the author of this address, it shall lead them "to drink more deeply at the fountain of devotion." The hope, too, suggested in the conclusion of this passage is full of quickening energy. We repeat it in another form.

"It is a beautiful and soothing thought,

That when mankind shall meet beyond the tomb,
There may be found some spirits we have taught
To fix their hopes upon that world to come;
That e'en their final, their decisive doom
May be effected by the care they knew.
Oh! it were worth long years of toil and gloom
To see that vision rise from life's review,
Trusting to sleep in Christ, and wake to find it true."

J. B.

ART. IV. - Memoirs of the Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart. By J. G. LOCKHART. Seven volumes. 12mo. Boston: Otis, Broaders, & Co. 1837.

THE delight, which has been afforded to thousands by the writings of Sir Walter Scott, would naturally insure the most lively interest upon the annunciation of Memoirs of his Life. That fountain which had been flowing so long, and sending up its beautiful jets for the refreshment of the world, was now sealed by death. The rod of the magician would no more be stretched forth. But there was yet one thing to look forward to with eager expectation, the history of his own life. Men were curious to trace the progress of a mind which had borne such unresisted and universal sway.

There is much, very much, in the life of every individual, of which no report, no picture ever goes forth to the world. Numerous thoughts in every mind find never a word to express and perpetuate them. Images of sparkling beauty lie concealed in the unworked mines of the fancy, that are never drawn forth, and set for the admiration of others. And high resolves, noble impulses, generous sentiments there are in the heart, to which neither visible act, nor fit phrase gives shape and distinctness. They are children of the spirit. They are born, and live, and do their noiseless, viewless errand without becoming incarnate, without assuming a body, and being palpable to sense. this way are nipped in the bud, fortunately for the world, many bad intentions, and pernicious projects. Thus also perish, unknown, unprized, many of the best products of humanity.

In

The real, inward life, the heart's life of a man, is sought for, not always, however, with success, in his writings. If he be a true man, if he have written because he had somewhat to say, because the fountain in his soul was full, and would have vent; if his words be the instruments with which he has brought out and expressed his own thoughts and feelings, and not the mere tools by which he sought to effect his purposes upon other minds and hearts; if he be not a mere artist, a word-polisher and a word-joiner, caring only for the nice skill and taste with which a rhetorical mosaic-work may be executed; then his writings do afford materials for forming a satisfactory judgment of his inner life. Art, when highly cultivated, at the same time it gratifies the taste, tends also to vitiate the taste. The

the

simplest and earliest Music of a nation, for example, consists of those melodious strains, which are chosen to give lively and sweet expression to sentiments of love, or patriotism, or valor. It is the language of the heart. But in the progress of cultivation, music is divorced from sentiment, and becomes a series of complicated sounds, that speak to the ear, affording it an artificial pleasure, merely sensual in kind. So also in Statuary and Painting. In early times these Arts are made subservient to moral purposes. They symbolize the virtues. They fix memory of great acts. They animate the heart of a nation or tribe with generous sentiments. But in the progress of civilization, art grows to be enthusiastically esteemed for itself. Painting and Statuary are no longer thought of in connexion with moral ideas and impressions. The talk is now about lines and features and touches, the combination of colors, the arrangement of drapery, attitude, effect. The whole object now is to please the eye, and to excite admiration at the skill of the artist. Hence originates the cant of professional criticism. And Literature shares in this degrading refinement. Words are no longer expressions of thought and imagery and sentiment, but gems that are to be polished and adjusted, so as to stimulate a jaded taste, that has not vitality enough to go beyond manner to the matter beneath. A man's writings do not, therefore, always and of course, give a true picture of himself.

But in the case of Scott, we have confidence that in his works we see a faithful transcript of his thoughts and feelings, his inward experience. Scott was not an artist, not characteristically so. He wrote with great rapidity. He used no forcing process. The fountain was always full and running over. His mind was not fitful, acting only at intervals, and needing powerful stimulus. He seems always to have been in the right mood. Great equality was accordingly a peculiarity of his genius. The first draught supplied the press. No time was spent in revising. He observed one part of the poet's direction to" write with fury;" but not the other part, to "correct with phlegm.' The remarks that have been made are certainly true in reference to his prose works. Whether, in his poetry, he had other habits of composition, does not as distinctly appear in the Memoirs before us. Undoubtedly more care and study were requisite here. But his poetry, to judge from internal indications, appears to have been thrown off in happy hours,