political to destroy the upper and lower rooms, pump-room, the public gardens, and the theatres, at Bath, London, and elsewhere. Surely she would spare the play-houses, of which she herself has been so much enamoured, since at the age of threescore and two, with all her piety, she has re-published her own plays! But what consistency can be expected from her non-descript principles, who has waged war with philosophy, the arts and sciences, and declares them hostile to christianity,

She puts me in mind of an old acquaintance, who travelled the country as a player, but with bad success. He at last, when he could not get bread by it, began to think, like H. More, that theatrical spectacles tended to corrupt the morals of the people, and conceived the idea, if not of writing, at least of speaking against the corruptions of the stage. Accordingly he dressed himself in sable, "was converted," became a "se"rious christian," and preached against the play

Mrs. More and this gentleman are not the only instances of sinners becoming the apologists of virtue.

Mrs. More forgets that at public places the sexes form an acquaintance, and that afterwards they may see these ladies in the bosom of their own families.

Not only because it is in unison with my own taste, for Lady Mac and myself always disliked cards, but in justice to Mrs. More, and with a view to public utility, I transcribe a paragraph, p. 196.

"I forbear to descant on those serious and interesting "rites, for the more august and solemn celebration of which, "Fashion nightly convenes these splendid myriads to her "more sumptuous temples. Rites which, when en"gaged in with due devotion, absorb the whole soul, and "call every passion into exercise, except indeed those of “love, and peace, and kindness and gentleness. Inspiring "rites! which stimulate fear, rouse hope, kindle zeal, quicken dulness, sharpen discernment, exercise memory, "inflame curiosity! Rites! in short, in the due per"formance of which all the energies and attentions, all the

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powers and abilities, all the abstraction and exertion, all "the diligence and devotedness, all the sacrifice of time, all "the contempt of ease, all the neglect of sleep, all the obli"vion of care, all the risks of fortune: all these are con"centrated to one point; a point in which the wise and "the weak, the learned and the ignorant, the fair and the "frightful, the sprightly and the dull, the rich and the poor, "the patrician and plebeian, meet in one common and uni"form equality; an equality as religiously respected in "these solemnities, in which all distinctions are levelled at "a blow, as it is combated in all other instances."

Now whether Mrs. More's practice in the article of card playing gives the lie to her writing I cannot say, for I have but little knowledge of her personally, and my Lady has never seen her; I, therefore, am willing to give her credit in this respect. But alas! I do not advance far before I meet with cause to lament the infirmities of human nature, and the imbecility of female character. The abhorrence expressed by Peter, when he visited the household of Nero, and his indignation on the sight of the inhuman sports of the arena, are remarked; yet no disapprobation whatever is intimated of the conduct of the professors

of the true and reformed religion of Jesus fitting out large buildings of wood, loaded with men, arms and combustibles, to meet the christian subjects of his most Catholic Majesty, and of the late most Christian King, with eager desire for the glory of "sinking, burning, and destroying" each other; no, nor of the uncharitable practice of sinking, burning and destroying," to all eternity, our very neighbours, if they happen to break their eggs on the wrong end, or choose not to repeat such a creed as we think proper to make. To promote war and desolation, she has published many little cheap tracts;" but to encourage charity and peace, she has not spoken a word. Her character is not difficultly ascertained; she has written and acted too much not to be known as an accomplished hypocrite. If nations professing christianity, and persons affecting a purer system than their neighbours, hate each other, and fight battles, and carry on wars, as often, and as bloodily, as if they were heathens, what are we to think, but that either christianity, at least as they profess it, is not true, or that they are not of the right faith. Yet this is the character and practice of H. More!

In p. 227, there is a long note respecting Mr. Law's" serious call to a devout and holy life," which she strongly recommends to awaken sinners; "but," she adds, "even in this work Law is "not a safe guide to evangelical light." As a "preacher of repentance, Law has no superior; "as a preacher of salvation on scriptural grounds,

"I would follow other guides.' "What need "have we of further evidence" of her non-descriptism? Law's religion and doctrine, repentance, is defined and known; H. More's "evan"gelical light," "other guides," is undefined, therefore not known. It is something mystical; it is not a "reasonable service." In perusing her works, the mind is led into a state of intellectual retrogradation, the more we read and hear of her non-descriptism, the less we know of it.

From p. 233 to 260 we have some useful practical preaching.

Approaching now (p. 272) the conclusion of her work, an Analysis, or rather a Syllabus of the "Doctrines of Christianity," are laid before us; and this is done by giving an abridged account of the system, laying, as usual, its foundation in the “ fall of man,” and the consequent corruption of human nature.

The flimsy arguments in proof of human corruption, are the simplicity and credulity of children, the existence of law and lawyers, death and sickness, war, bars and bolts, bonds and securities, individual suspicion. From scripture her arguments are," God saw the wickedness of man' "was great, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." "God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt," &c. This before the flood; but of the Cosmogony and the Mythos, in the first chap. of Genesis, nor of the apple, has she made any mention. Since the flood, from David's complaints

and confessions of sins. In the gospel, from our Lord's reproof of Peter, "thou savourest not the "things that be of God, but those that be of man." "If ye were of the world, the world would love "his own; but I have chosen you out of the world, "therefore the world hateth you." "We know "that we are of God, and the world lieth in "wickedness." She says, "the heathen, to whom "he has not sent the light of the gospel, will pro"bably not be judged by the gospel. But with "whatever mercy he may judge those who, living "in a land of darkness, are without knowledge "of his revealed law, our business is not with them, but with ourselves."

Here she has conceded too much, and brought her fabric about her ears. That doctrine must be defended by an abler pen than hers, otherwise it will prove untenable. The horrors of the consequences of " her peculiarities" seem here to have struck her and she sinks down. Her views of christianity are not just.

From the epistles, however, more plausible texts are brought forward to maintain the doctrine of the fall and corruption. Those who wish to be satisfied on this subject, will consult the writings of the Unitarians, Socinians, and the Trinitarians. The doctrine of atonement is of course maintained, as well as that of free grace, and sectarian Antinomianism disavowed. The absolute necessity of a change of heart and life, and the influences of the Holy Spirit are insisted on, and I think not unscripturally; and some pains are taken to maintain the existence of the devil,