ART. IV.-Childhood, illustrated in a Selection from the Poets. By H. M. R. London: Harvey and Darton. 1841. In this age of anthologies, it is not a common thing to meet with one that combines so many true flowers. Few collectors have the tact of Solomon's bee, to distinguish between the real and the factitious in these matters. We heartily recommend this pure and beautiful little volume. It has many of the best things in our language, and is characterized by an avoidance, as wise as it is rare, of those gloomy or glittering sentimentalities which are spread over so much of the metrical literature of the day. The Editor has evidently had a higher aim than to obtain popularity by ministering to tastes which many would view and use as the chief means of obtaining it. At the same time, there is much that may justly claim a right to be popular, since it belongs no less to poetry than to humanity. We do not mean to say that the volume is composed of nothing but what is excellent. There are in it both dew-drops and diamonds- both things that will have fulfilled their brief but beautiful destiny when they have sparkled for a while upon the hearth or the grave, and things of "a higher mood," which seem sent forth to "wander through eternity," and to touch successive generations with the witchery of thoughts, deep as heaven, and solemn as night, and spiritual as the stars. This little work is modestly entitled, "Childhood, illustrated in a Selection from the Poets." It cannot be expected that it should embrace all that every reader will consider as bearing upon the stated subject. The fresh spirits of the English Poets (a long and honoured line) have undoubtedly contributed more, even to this particular subject, than is to be found between the covers of this volume. But what is found in it is selected with excellent feeling and judgment -not so much fastidious, as delicate and pure. We are brought face to face with a number of our old favourites; and we are almost ashamed to find that we have to be introduced to so many interesting strangers. Nothing, we fear, can save us from the consequences of the confession, that we were unacquainted with the following exquisite and affecting stanzas. Everybody but ourselves may know that they are Leigh Hunt's; but no reader will quarrel with us for bringing them again under his eye, and stirring his heart anew with their simple and melancholy music. We pity the man who can read them with dry eyes, though it be for the hundredth time. "To A CHILD, SIX YEARS OLD, DURING SICKNESS. Sleep breathes at last from out thee, My patient little boy; And balmy rest about thee Smooths off the day's annoy. Of all thy winning ways; Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink, That I had less to praise. Thy sidelong pillowed meekness, Thy thanks to all that aid Thy heart in pain and weakness, Of fancied faults afraid; The little trembling hand These, these are things that may demand Sorrows I've had, severe ones, I will not think of now, And calmly, 'midst my dear ones, My hand-in-hand companion,-no, To say, 'He is departed,- Ah! I could not endure Unless I felt this sleep ensure Yes, still he's fixed and sleeping; Its very hush and creeping Seem whispering us a smile ;- Here we find the Babes in the Wood (we mean the real thing, the right noble old English ballad)-and Caroline Bowles's (we fear we shall never be able to call her any thing else) thrilling and suffocating Lines to a Dying Infant-and Joanna Baillie's picture of a child that never can die-and some of the simplest and best of Felicia Hemans's Lyrics-and Wordsworth's, We are Seven, with his magnificent piece of thunder-music on the Early Intimations of Immortality. And filling up the intervals between these-like the songs of birds, as we have heard them at Mount Edgecumbe, mixing with the sound of the Atlantic's own waters-we have the productions of other poets, whose names may not be so overwhelming, but who have had a sweet ministry of their own to perform, and have "done their spiriting gently," and left flowers enough for graves which we trust are far distant-and some of which may yet turn out to be shrines. The work has a small number of original contributions. Some striking Sonnets by Hartley Coleridge are among them. We give one as a specimen. It is entitled Primitiæ, and addressed initially to J. D. C. "Sweet child, I write, because I wish to see I deem not so-for thou canst not forget Some tender and elegant touchings of the domestic lyre are interspersed through the collection. For their worth, they are few; for they have in them a fine spirit both of that which is and of that which is not of this world. We extract the following-we do not say we select it, because we find some difficulty in the choice. "SONNET.-H. M. R. Would thy young soul, my child! could speak to me! From the bright glories of that unknown land, Where is unveiled our spirits' mystery? And though all earthly now thy vesture be, That in my fond enraptured heart doth raise And to my God, a richer hymn of praise!" Liverpool. J. J. ART. V.-Observations on a Lecture by the Rev. P. Harwood, entitled "The Question of Miracles." 8vo. Pp. 20. J. Green. 1841. THIS is a calm and temperate, but withal sagacious and, in some respects, powerful refutation of an extravagant and whimsical pamphlet. The writer charges the leading statement of the "Lecture" with being "the very reverse of the facts of the case" (p. 6), and with degrading and dishonouring "the character of Christ" (p. 9); and denounces the undervaluing and shutting out of the hope of a future life, as "one of the sickly refinements of a modern philosophy" (p. 12), "fatal to any system of morals" (p. 14). There are intimations, pp. 4 and 19, of the writer's not being a stranger "in the place where this Lecture was delivered;" and we should rejoice to know that this antidote was in the hands of all that, from whatever motives, have countenanced the baneful doctrines (as we account them) by which a House of Prayer has been degraded into a theatre for the exhibition of the newest form of Infidelity." SCOTLAND. INTELLIGENCE. submit to such a jurisdiction (loud cries Commission of the General Assembly of of hear).....I feel that, far from creat the Church of Scotland. THE Commission met on Wednesday, the 17th of March, pursuant to adjourn ment, Dr. Makellar in the chair. All the most interesting cases were referred to the ensuing meeting of the Assembly in May. The only thing worth notice is a speech of Mr. Dunlop, expressive of the views and resolutions of the Nonintrusion party, of which he is an eminent leader. The following passages are extracted from the report given of it in the Edinburgh Observer, of March 19th. "Mr. Dunlop said, 'Before proceeding to consider this Report (of the interlocutors pronounced by the Court of Session in two cases), and in the absence of the Procurator from illness, I think it is desirable to take this opportunity of bringing before the Commission a statement of the various causes that are now in dependence, or that may be appealed.' After having stated at great length the cases of Auchterarder, Lethendy, Daviot, Strathbogie, Marnoch, and some others, the learned gentleman concluded his speech by saying-'I am anxious to take this opportunity of bringing these matters before the Commission, to see the condition in which we are liable to be placed, if the judgments of the Court of Session are sustained. I think it right and important that the Church should see exactly where we are likely to be placed, not to throw a veil over our difficulties and dangers, but to be alive to the position into which we shall be brought, if the judgments of the Court are sustained. Looking at these practical results, I have no hesitation in say ing, that if the jurisdiction claimed by the Civil Courts be sustained, and held to be part of the constitution of this country, I say the Church of Scotland will not only be rendered useless for any good purpose, but subjected, as she will be, to the control of the Court of Session,I say that the Established Church, with these fetters imposed upon her, far from being a blessing, will be a positive evil to the country, and ought to be removed (hear, hear); and I would ten thousand times rather have no establishment at all-throw endowments to the winds, and go on to-morrow in a free and independent and unfettered condition, than ing despondency, or giving occasion for shrinking from a full maintenance of our principles, by this view of the position into which we shall be brought, if the opposition to our principles succeed, I feel that it is the strongest of all arguments for us to stand firm as a rock. We shall be engulphed if we do not; and, therefore, though dangers stare us in the face on every side, our safety consists in standing where we are; for the first symptoms of a shaking amongst our ranks will encourage our foes, who are numerous and of different kinds-will encourage them all to bear down upon us in close column, and recklessly, and without mercy, to sweep us from our positions. Though our prospects appear darker now than they have ever been before, I feel confident that our cause, if we are true to our principles, will ultimately prevail (applause)....I am anxious that the Church should see that the position in which we are placed is no reason for discouragement, but affords a necessity for indomitably maintaining our position. We have seen, from circumstances to which I shall not allude, how little we have to lean upon from political parties, though I rejoice to think that there are many noble exceptions, and therefore we ought to wean ourselves from all trust in political or aristocratical influence, and throw ourselves unreservedly and absolutely on our Great Head and the prayers of our people; and, secondly, to throw ourselves upon our people, to shew that we are struggling for their behoof, and that the calumny that the clergy are seeking power for themselves, is nothing but, as I have stated, a calumny,-that our desire is to secure for the people that which we think they are entitled to,-to rest on the affections of the people, and relying still more unreservedly on our Great Head, I feel confident that, notwithstanding the clouds which now hover over us, the sun will shine upon us brightly and comfortably again' (great applause). "Dr. M'Farlane thought this the most important speech that had yet been de livered in the course of the controversy, and hoped Mr. Dunlop would print it (hear, hear). He joined Mr. Dunlop in saying distinctly, that if the law was as it had been declared to be, the Church of Scotland was not worth preserving. He felt also with his learned friend, that their prospects were more dark than ever, and circumstances which had lately transpired were calculated to fill them with fear and alarm; but if they hoped safely to clear their way through the breakers which surrounded them, they could only do so by maintaining firmly the rights and privileges which their fathers had transmitted to them" (hear). EDINENSIS. Glasgow Unitarian Congregation.-On Sunday morning, March 21, the Rev. GEORGE HARRIS, in an address to the congregation of Glasgow, fully explained the reasons which induced him to give notice of his intention to resign the charge of the society at the close of September next. On Thursday evening, March 25, the Committee assembled, and unanimously instructed the Secretary to address the following letter to Mr. Harris, expressive of their sentiments on his intended resignation: "Glasgow, March 26, 1841. "Rev. and dear Sir,-At a meeting of the Committee of the congregation, held last night in the vestry of the chapel, for the purpose of taking into consideration the intimation which you gave to the congregation on Sunday, of your having resolved to accept the invitation to become the Minister of St. Mark's chapel, Edinburgh,-I was directed, in name of the Committee, to express to you their deep regret that you should have determined to leave Glasgow; their conviction that nothing short of a high sense of duty has actuated you in so determining; their gratitude to you for your most able and consistent advocacy of Christian truth and righteousness, during your long residence in this city; and their fervent hope that you may long be spared to uphold and diffuse in the Metropolis, as well as throughout Scotland, the principles of their common faith; and that every happiness and prosperity may attend you. "I remain, Rev. and dear Sir, "Yours most sincerely and respectfully, "ROB. HEDDERWICK, Sec. “Rev. George Harris.” Sunday, March 28, at a meeting of the Glasgow Unitarian congregation, held in the chapel at the close of the afternoon service, William Watson, Esq., in the chair, the following resolution was moved and seconded, and unani mously and cordially adopted by the meeting, and ordered to be transmitted to Mr. Harris: "That it is with feelings of the utmost regret this congregation have learned that in a few months they are to be deprived of the services of their faithful and respected Pastor, the Rev. George Harris. He has laboured so long among them, and, under Divine Providence, been the means of so much good, not only in building up this society, but in liberalizing the public mind of this great community, that they could have wished to retain him as their Minister for many years to come. They are satisfied, however, that it is the voice of duty which he obeys; that he leaves them because his presence seems to be indispensable in another portion of the Lord's vineyard; and, however reluctantly they part with him, after so long and so happy a connexion, they cannot but bid him God-speed in his new sphere of Christian usefulness. They are not without consolation when they consider that Scotland, where there is still so much for the Christian Reformer to accomplish, is not to be deprived of his able Missionary labours; that, while the Metropolitan congregation is henceforward to claim his more especial care, the other churches of Scotland, and their own amongst the number,-all of which he has done so much to foster and uprear,-will still have the advantage of his counsel and occasional ministrations. They tender him their warmest thanks for the many benefits he has conferred upon them, individually and congregationally, as well as upon the cause which they are associated to promote, during the sixteen years of his ministry in this chapel; and they beg respectfully and affectionately to assure him, that he will carry with him their sincerest good wishes, and long live in their most grateful recollections." (Signed) WILLIAM WATSON, Chairman. DOMESTIC. Lewin's Mead Congregational Meeting. -The eighth anniversary was held on Monday, April 12th, in the Horticultural Rooms, Bristol, and was attended by about 300 of the Lewin's Mead congregation, and friends from Bath, Frenchay, Trowbridge, &c. The increasing interest taken in the annual meeting obliged the Committee to hire more spacious rooms than those connected with the chapel buildings, and the Horticultural Rooms were tastefully decorated with flowers |