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to preferve the evanefcent veftiges, or reviving the pleasure which was once felt with the keener zeft of novelty.. On both. thefe accounts we owe him fome obligations; and he seems to aim at no more.

We fhall felect a few fpecimens of this writer's manner, and fhall endeavour to choose paffages of different kinds, which fhall illuftrate, fo far as our limits will admit, our preceding obfervations.

I read Xenophon's Memorabilia in Greek, and I was delighted with them. I read them in an English translation, and I found them tedious and infipid. The tranflation was apparently performed with fufficient fidelity; but it did not affect or ftrike with any peculiar force. I have experienced effects exactly fimilar in the perufal of other books. To what fhall I attribute them? Are there fuch charms in the Greek language as are able to give a value to fentiments which of themselves have no recommendation? Certainly not: but there is a concifenefs, and, at the fame time, a comprehenfion of expreffion in the Greek language, which, I think, the English cannot equal. On the mind of a reader who completely understands the language of a Greek author, the ideas are impreffed with more force and perfpecuity by the original, than by any tranf lation. The ancient Greek authors, it is acknowledged, paid great attention to the art of compofition, to the choice and arrangement of words, and to the structure of periods, fo as to communicate, the idea, or raife the fentiment intended with peculiar force and precifion, Xenophon is known to have been one of the most fuccefsful cultivators of the art of compofition and it cannot be fuppofed that all who have undertaken to tranflate any of his works, though they might understand the matter, could have equalled him in the art of compofition for which his country and himself were remarkably celebrated.

The pleasure which a reader feels in the perufal of a Greek author, has been attributed to the pride of confcious fuperiority over those who are not able to unlock the treafures of which he keeps the key. This opinion bas owed its origin to the poor appearance which fome of the most celebrated authors of antiquity have made, when prefented to the public in the drefs of a modern language. The English reader has read tranflations of the claffics, without being able to difcover any excellence adequate to the univerfal reputation of the author. The tranflator, though he comprehended his author, was perhaps a poor writer, unable to communicate with fpirit the thoughts which he conceived with a fufficient degree of accuracy. The blame unjustly fell on the original author and his admirers. He was fuppofed to have written poorly, and they to have admired him only from motives of pride and affectation. Some, whofe ignorance prevented them from deciding fairly, rejoiced to fee that ancient learning, which they poffeffed not, defpifed; and eagerly

joined in attributing to arrogance and pedantry all praise of Greek and Latin, to which they were inveterate enemies, as well as perfect strangers..

But the fuppofition that the pleafure which men feel in reading authors in the ancient languages, arifes folely, or chiefly, from the pride of poffeffing a skill in thofe languages, is too unreasonable to be generally admitted. Of the many thousand admirers of the ancients, who, in every part of their conduct and studies, displayed great judgment and great virtue, muft we fuppofe the greater part either deceived in the estimate of the authors whom they read, or actuated by pride, and miftaking the felf-complacency of confcious learning and ability for the pleasure naturally arifing from the ftudy of a fine author? Why is not a man, who underftands Welch, German, Dutch, and any other language, not remarkable for literary productions, as much inclined to extol the writers in thofe languages as the reader of Greek and Latin, if the motive for praile confifts only in poffeffing a knowledge of a language unknown to the majority of his countrymen or companions?

In accounting for the great efteem in which the Greek and Latin authors are held, much must be attributed to the languages folely, and exclufively of thought, doctrine, or method. Many who are but poorly qualified to give any opinion on the fubject, will impute it to pedantry, when I fay, that those languages poffefs inherent beauties, and an aptitude for elegant and expreffive compofition, to which the beft among modern languages can make no juft pretenfion. Till, therefore, an ancient Greek author can be tranflated into a language equal to his own, it will be unjust and unreasonable to form a final judg ment of him from the beft tranflation.'

The following remarks on the diffidence of boys, and the impropriety of rendering them forward and confident, are expanded in fome other effays, and are of great importance.

• Diffidence wears off when the mind becomes confcious of a fufficient degree of strength to fupport confidence. With refpect to confidence without merit to fupport it, though often valued in the world, and particularly in the law, I hold it in great dishonour. It may push its way to employment and opulence, but it is fcarcely confiftent with a good mind; and without a good mind what happiness is to be found in employment and opulence.

"Sincerum eft nifi vas quodcunque infundis acefcit."

HOR.

People who value themselves on knowing the world are very apt to infift on effrontery as a neceffary virtue to go through the world with fuccefs, or rather to recommend it as the fubftitute and fuccedaneum of every virtue. But I never hear thefe perfons boafting of their knowledge of the world, and the value of worldly wifdom, but I think of fome paffages in Scripture in which it is not held in fo high estimation" The chil

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dren of this world are wifer in their generation than the children of light" but it should be remembered, that the wifdom is not that which is from above, but that of the ferpent, that of the accurfed fpirits, originating and terminating in evil under the fair semblance of good.'

The following remarks on prayer are equally juft and clearly expreffed with thefe we must conclude our article.

The language of a prayer fhould be natural, and warm from the heart, yet at the fame time reftrained and chaftifed by good fenfe, otherwife it muft degenerate to the nonsense of the dotard, or the madnefs of the enthufiaft. Dr. Johnson deferves great praife for the fimplicity and energy of many of his prayers. Nothing of his ufual ftyle, his long words, or formal periods, is to be obferved in them. His good understanding fuggefted to him the impropriety of all affectation when he laid afide all pretenfions to wifdom, and with an humility, which must always become the greatest of mortals, approached the throne of the Almighty.

After all that taste and criticism can fuggeft, it is certain that uprightness of intention and fervent piety are the best beauties of fupplicatory writings. He to whom prayer is addreffed confiders not the form of words, and the ftructure of periods, but the faith, the fincerity, the charity of the poor petitioner. If the heart is right, the errors of the understanding and of the lips will pafs unnoticed. Yet it is decent and reafonable to take care, according to the best of our knowledge, not to offer up prayers in which there is any known defect unworthy a creature furnished by the Creator with thofe intellectual powers, which furely can never be more honourably exerted than in the fervice of Him who gave them.

"I ufe not to run rafhly into prayer," fays Howell, "without a trembling precedent meditation; and if any odd thoughts intervene and grow upon me, I check myself and recommence; and this is incident to long prayers, which are more fubject to man's weaknefs and the devil's malice."

Sermons by Charles Symmons, B. D. of Clare-hall, Cambridge. 800. 5s. in Boards. E. and T. Williams.

MR.

R. Symmons feems to be a young author; perhaps a young man he poffeffes the faults and the excellencies of youth, viz. its fire and luxuriance, not always fufficiently, repreffed by cooler judgment. His Preface is incorrect and injudicious. It led us to form an opinion of his Sermons, which we changed afterwards with pleafure. Let us ftate the first paragraph as a fpecimen.

At a period when the eloquence of the pulpit feems particularly to be ftudied, it may be regarded as prefumption in the author to fwell that copious ftream of divinity with which the brefs overflows; efpecially as, with unaffected diffidence, he

declares

declares his consciousness of insufficiency to meet the notice which he folicits; and his fenfe of the uncommon and fuperior merit of fome modern publications of a defcription fimilar to his own.-To the charge of prefumption he wishes that he could give a full and fatisfactory anfwer. But from the plain matter of fact, he hopes for the extenuation of his errors as a writer, if not for the cxculpation of his rafhness as a publisher.'

In the fubfequent parts of it, he defends luxuriant language, frequently introducing the words of Scripture, and a warm fpirit of devotion, in oppofition to the cooler effays which are often delivered to the public from the pulpit.--From thefe observations, and no inconfiderable fhare of egotifm, we expected the language of poetry, with the warmth of enthusiasm ;metaphors crowded, mifapplied, and confufed ;-with a fpirit of declamation calculated for the Tabernacle. It is not our faults, if the author holds out falfe lights to mislead; but perhaps, from this pre-conceived opinion, his Sermons appeared to greater advantage. We have read them with great care, and they poffefs no little merit. The luxuriance, natural to the author, is repreffed with much care in the more accurate corrected Sermons; and we perceive that, in the others, where it is more confpicuous, Mr. Symmons is aware that it may run away with his pen; and endeavours, though fometimes in vain, to guard against this error. Perhaps, on the whole, the language is too warm and florid: but we would not decide too pofitively on this fubject; and it would be more unsuitable in our Journal, fince we have more than once reprehended a We can more confidently fay, too plain and timid manner. that these Sermons contain just remarks, clear and pointed explanations of different paffages of the Scriptures, with a rational and animated piety.-In many of the Sermons, the divifions, which are not oftentatiously pointed out, are peculiarly happy.

The fubjects are: Sermon I. Civil, moral, and religious Advantages derived from Chriftianity.-II. On Death. - III. On Human Difcontent; or, the duty of Submission to God. ~IV. On the Death of Chrift.-V. On the Atonement of Chrift. VI. On the Refurrection.-VII. On Natural and Spiritual Man.-Sermon VIII. On the Difpenfations of God.

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IX. On the Christian Dispensation.-X, On the Temporal Advantages of a Religious Life.-XI. On the Birth, Dignity, and Character of the Meffiah.-XII. On the Neceffity of constant Attention to the religious Improvement of Life.

Perhaps, in no paffage is the author's luxuriance more reprehenfible than in the following one; it is taken from the third Sermon.

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May not therefore "the thing formed fay to him that. formed it, Why haft thou made me thus ?" I asked thee not for existence. Why then did'st thou obtrude it, if it must be fol lowed by affliction ? Creation, it is pretended, is the work of love. Why then am I placed in a world which brings forth only thorns and thiftles Why gifted with eyes looking afore and after, when the retrofpect is mifery, and the profpect difappointment? The fpells of hope, indeed, may fometimes raife a palace to cheat our fatigue, but reflection quickly diffolves the fhadowy fabric: aud we find ourselves ftill upon the blasted defert, or in the howling wilderness.

Ceafe, wretch! forbear the frantic expoftulation. It is ig norance,ingratitude, impiety. Go to reafon ;-she will tell thee, for he has told many, that this life is not the completion of thy being; that it is the period only when thy obedience is to be ascertained; thy mental energies called forth; thy virtues ftrengthened, exalted, refined, and prepared for a more illuftrious condition.-Go to revelation he will tell thee that thou art "a ftranger and a pilgrim," whofe home is beyond the grave. That thou art here upon trial, furrounded with afflic tions to exercife, and with temptations to affay that thou muftfight the good fight," and be victorious before thou art crowned-that, as thou art a labourer in the vineyard, thou muft toil before thou art paid.'

We prefer the first Sermon as most correct; and in which the author's fire is most carefully prevented from rifing into a blaze. We fhall felect a specimen of our author's best manner from this difcourfe:

Under a scheme of theology (that is the Pagan) so abfurd and fo nefarious, with what effect could the people be enjoined to reverence their gods? Could they reverence the capricious, the violent, the revengeful, the lewd? Could they look up with confidence or esteem to creatures, who excelled the worst of mortals only in power and exemption from death? No.From fuch gods, contemptible as the objects of worship, and dangerous as, the objects of imitation, the beft that could be done was to take the fceptre of the world and (with the_prudence of Epicurus) to remove them to a distant heaven; where, undisturbed by the cares of government, they might indulge in their darling fenfualities. The world would certainly not lofe by the depofition of thefe mock rulers; whofe place might be as competently fupplied by thofe non-entities of atheifm-chance and fate.

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During the prevalence of fuch religious illufion how unhappy and liable to error must be the condition of man! Affured by his obfervation that "there was one event to the righteous and to the wicked," that joys and miferies were indifferently fcattered in the paths of life, he faw no other state of being where the caprices of fortune could be accounted for and rectified. In what manner then was he to act? To accept the fplendid offers

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