value. If Copernicus and Galileo did not hesitate to brave the prejudices of mankind, and to incur the risk of persecution, rather than withhold their discoveries from the world,-how much stronger must be your motives to pursue a conduct equally undaunted. Never was a truth proclaimed of such immeasurable importance and of such extensive consequences:-a truth not remotely affecting the interests of society; but one calculated to facilitate the discovery and diffusion of all truths, to promote the rapid advancement of the arts and sciences, and to secure the virtue and happiness of mankind upon an immutable basis. As the mind is the instrument by which all good is obtained,-whatever enables society to form superior minds, must infinitely transcend all other discoveries: and besides, with what pangs of remorse will you behold the poor criminal dragged to execution, if you neglect to re-model those institutions of your country, to which he has fallen a victim."*

* It will be highly gratifying to the friends of humanity to learn that one of the most able, conscientious, and exemplary defenders of Christianity, declared himself inimical to the present frame of society, upheld as it is by emulation, and by individual competitors. I must candidly confess that the following passage, from the "Practical View of Christianity," is my sole but ample authority, for concluding that the enlightened mind of Mr. Wilberforce renounced the existing vicious system, and approved the co-operative arrangements, as the only plan of social union, in accordance with practical Christianity. His faithful description of the progress of a competitor, refers the lamentable change of character, in a manner so convincing, to erroneous education and defective institutions, that we almost lose sight of the doctrine of original sin, and more especially as the earlier dispositions of his Nero and Timon are represented as soft and susceptible, generous and beneficent.

The two friends pursued this train of reasoning as they walked once more round the terrace, and as they descended the mountain: at a short distance from the foot of which they entered a lofty marble colonnade, lighted by lamps suspended from a semicircular roof. This colonnade led directly to their community. They passed on in silence, for Saadi was in a thoughtful mood, and Douglas was unwilling to interrupt his reflections. When they reached the building appropriated to strangers, Saadi took Douglas by the hand and observed, "What you have so eloquently enforced regarding the formation of character, has operated upon my mind almost. with the conviction of truth; but the principle so ill accords with some of my previous impressions, that I must investigate further ere I assent to the truth of your proposition."

"It may be sufficient to have hinted at a few of the vicissitudes of advancing life; let the reader's own mind fill up the catalogue. Now the bosom is no longer cheerful and placid; and if the countenance preserve its exterior character, this is no longer the expression of the heart. Prosperity and luxury gradually extinguishing sympathy, and puffing up with pride, harden and debase the soul. In other instances shame secretly clouds, and remorse begins to sting, and suspicion to corrode, and jealousy and envy to embitter. Disappointed hopes, unsuccessful competitions, and frustrated pursuits, sour and irritate the temper. A little personal experience of the selfishness of mankind, damps our generous warmth and kind affections; reproving the prompt sensibility and unsuspecting simplicity of our earlier years. Above all, ingratitude sickens the heart, and chills, and thickens the very life's-blood of benevolence; till at length our youthful Nero, soft and susceptible, becomes a hard and cruel tyrant; and our youthful Timon, the gay, the generous, the beneficent, is changed into a cold, sour, silent misanthrope."-Wilberforce's Practical View of Christianity.

"Farewell," replied Douglas; "but in all your inquiries, permit me to remind you of the consolatory words of John Locke:

"He that makes use of the light and faculties God has given him, and seeks sincerely to discover truth by those helps and abilities he has, may have this satisfaction in doing his duty as a rational creature, that though he should miss truth, he will not miss the reward of it.'"*

CHAPTER VII.

"When from the lips of Truth one mighty breath
Shall, like a whirlwind, scatter in its breeze
The whole dark pile of human mockeries;
Then shall the Reign of Mind commence on earth,
And starting fresh as from a second birth,
Man in the sunshine of the world's new spring,
Shall walk transparent, like some holy thing."

Moore's Lalla Rookh.

THE apartment occupied by Saadi was spacious and splendidly decorated: for although the rooms of the community in general were furnished and ornamented in a style of simple elegance, yet at a very short notice, preparations had been made for the reception of the illustrious Persian, suited to the custom of his country. In an adjoining room was a bed with hangings of rich blue silk lined with straw colour, at the head of which the sun was represented in burnished gold.-Saadi was followed to his apartment by two youths, about ten years of age: he had desired them not to sit up for him ;

*

"The man who consecrates his hours
By vig'rous effort, and an honest aim,

At once he draws the sting of life and death,
He walks with nature; and her paths are peace."

but they were apprehensive he might be cold and fatigued on his return, and they had prepared some coffee. Saadi was sensibly affected by their attention. The youths observing he was unusually serious, at first attempted to enliven him by conversation; but perceiving that he wished to be alone, retired. "Happy youths," observed Saadi, as they closed the door, "your minds will not be distracted by dogmas before your reasoning powers are sufficiently matured to enable you to examine their foundation.* If the opinions of Douglas regarding the human character be correct, the whole system of rewards and punishments must fall to the ground."—It was customary with Saadi to read a portion of the Koran every night before he retired. He threw himself on the couch, and opened the volume in the sixteenth chapter, entitled " "The Bee revealed at Mecca," and read the following passage.

"If God had pleased, he would surely have made yon one people: but he will lead into error whom he pleaseth, and he will direct whom he pleaseth; and ye shall surely give an account of that which ye have done. Therefore take not your oaths between you deceitfully, lest your foot slip, after it hath been stedfastly fixed, and ye taste evil in this life, for ye have turned aside from the way of God; and ye suffer a grievous punishment in the life to come. And sell not the Covenant of God for a small price: for

"What from this barren being do we reap?

Our senses narrow, and our reason frail,

Life short, and truth a gem which loves the deep,
And all things weigh'd in custom's falsest scale;

Opinion an omnipotence, whose veil

Mantles the earth with darkness, until right

And wrong are accidents, and men grow pale,

Lest their own judgements should become too bright,

And their free thoughts be crimes, and earth have too much light."

with God is a better recompense prepared for you, if ye be men of understanding. That which is with you will fail: but that which is with God is permanent: and he will surely reward those who shall persevere, according to the utmost merit of their actions."

"There is much perplexity in this passage," observed Saadi, shutting the book; "in the former part of it, God is said to govern the actions of men, and at the close, that they are to be rewarded according to their merit. The inhabitants of these happy societies attach no importance to the belief of doctrines that are inexplicable, for justly do they say, 'No man can command his belief, he must be guided solely by the evidence placed before him.' But yet in Persia we are deemed almost criminal for not believing even against the conviction of our understanding.

Saadi retired; but his mind was so divided between that which appeared to be his duty, and the principles which had been propounded, that it was long ere sleep closed his eyes.-When he awoke, he found himself in the same perturbation of mind. Upon entering his sitting-room, he was gratified to see a letter upon the table with the well known superscription of Almured. He hastily broke the seal, and read as follows:

"A few days since I received your letter from Naples; and as an opportunity presents itself of forwarding this by an overland dispatch, it will probably reach Greenock by the time of arrival: as the messenger is waiting, you must excuse its brevity.

your

"I am happy to hear that your health has been preserved in all the variety of climate through which you have passed, and that you were so much delighted with the ruins of Rome. By this time you are upon my classic ground, and I look with great