naparte; an inference which is strengthened by the arrival of Monsieur at Frankfort, and by the report of his having been invited to repair to the head-quarters of the Allies.

Since the publication of our last Number, the fortresses of Dantzic on the Vistula, of Torgau and Wittenberg on the Elbe, of Gorcum in Hollaud, and of Bois-le-duc in Dutch Brabant, have fallen into the hands of the Allies. Almost the whole of Austrian Brabant has been overrun by them; and Brussels, its capital, is in their possession, Ostend and Antwerp are still occupied by the French; as is Hamburgh, which last place, however, is closely besieged.

Murat, the king of Naples, bas agreed to join the cause of the Allies; his occupancy of the throne of the Two Sicilies being guaranteed to him, and his dominions being enJarged on the north,

The articles of the treaty imposed by Bonaparte on Ferdinand VII. have been divulged. They stipulate for the simultaneous evacuation of Spain by the English and. French; for the maintenance of maritime rights, as, established by the treaty of Utrecht; for the honours, prerogatives, and property of the followers of king Joseph; and for the conclusion of a treaty of commerce between the two powers. The treaty has been unanimously rejected by the Cortes.

UNITED STATES.

We had room in our last Number to advert but briefly to the President's Message to Congress, on the opening of the session. There is one point in that Message which merits particular attention. Some British subjects, to the number of 23, having been taken fighting in the American ranks, were sent to Great Britain to be tried for their treason. The American Government immediately subjected to close imprisonment 23 British subjects, declaring that they should answer with their lives for any punishment that might be inflicted on the British traitors. The Governor of Canada, as soon as he was made acquainted with this proceeding, selected 46 Americans, whom be placed in strict confinement, and on whoin he notified that it was his intention to retaliate any severity exercised by the American Government on the British prisoners confined as hostages. Mr. Madison adverted to this last proceeding in his Message to Congress, and stated, that in order to prevent all doubt, "of our adherence to the retaliating resort imposed upon us, a corresponding number of British officers of war in our hands were immediately put into close confinement, to abide the fate of those confined by the ene my." It seems, therefore, that the Ameri

can Government is determined to maintain its unreasonable and absurd pretensions on this point; that it is determined to interpose between British traitors and the justice of their country, by putting to death a nume ber of loyal British subjects guilty of no of fence but that of bearing arms in their coun try's defence. The alleged effect of an Ameris can act of naturalization is opposed by the concurrent voice of all the nations of Europe, and by the received maxims of public law. In this country we frequently natu ralize foreigners, but we never consider the act of naturalization as extinguishing the rights of the native state to their allegiance : it is for them to weigh the effects of beara ing arms against her. The general law of nations admits of no dispute on this points It is also one of the enactments of the Code Napoleon, that no Frenchman can in any case, lose his quality of Frenchman, and if he bear arms against his country he shall suffer death. It is difficult, therefore, to conceive on what monstrous perversion of ail known law, or of right reason, Mr. Madison builds this extraordinary pretension to di vest Britain of all right to the allegiance of her natural born subjects, by merely granting them a certificate of American naturalization.

The President has announced to Congress that. Lord Castlereagh, in declining the me diation of Russia, had expressed the readi ness of the British Government to treat-directly with America, either in London or at Gottenburgh, on principles of reciprocity not

inconsistent with the established maxims of public law; and that he had accepted this proposal, selecting Gottenburgh as the theatre of negociation. In the mean time, a rigid embargo has been imposed on the ports of the United States. The act imposing it. was preceded by a long message from the President, assigning the reasons for the measure: The laws then in force tended to favour the British, and thereby to prolong the war;-supplies of the most essential kind. found their way not only to British ports and British armies at a distance, but to fleets and troops in their neighbourhood and infesting their coasts and British goods found their way easily into American ports.

We stated, in our last Number, that the Canadian campaign had closed. This state ment, however, has proved to be incorrect. We have accounts, that subsequently to the resi treat of the American army under General Wilkinson, from Lower Canada, Fort Niagara had been surprised and taken by our troops; and that a large American force, under General Hall, having been collected at Buffalo, to cover the Americau frontier, which had thus been laid open, was attacked

and completely defeated by the British. It was supposed the consequence of this defeat would be, that the American ship ping on Lake Erie would be destroyed. Indeed, it was strongly rumoured that a severe storm, which had occurred on the lakes, had rendered this attempt superfluous, by destroying most of the American navy; not only on Lake Erie, but on Lake Ontario also.

The official account which the American Government has prevailed on itself to publish, of the discomfiture of the attack on Lower Canada, is in the very highest degree ludicrous. General Wilkinson tells us, that he was harassed in his advance by a corps of the enemy. "I was tempted to halt, to turn about, and put an end to his teazing; but, alas! I was confined to my bed." The second in command was also ill; so he determined to push forward. "The enemy," he says, “deserve credit for their zeal and intelligence, which the active and universal hostility of the male inhabitants of the country enabled them to employ to the greatest advantage." He then tells us of the enemy continuing to scratch them, which brought on a considerable action; in which the Americans, superior by his own account in number to the enemy, braved, with unczampled valour, a fire of two hours and a half, without `quitting the field or yielding to their

GREAT

For some days rumours were very preva lent respecting a change of administration, in consequence of a difference of opinion in the cabinet, as to the propriety of instructing Lord Castlereagh not to treat with Bonaparte. It was said that Lord Liverpool, being averse to any such instruction, tendered his resignation, which was not accepted, and that the affair ended in the acquiescence of the majority of the Cabinet in his Lordship's policy of leaving Lord Castlereagh,unfettered, to act according to circumstances. We state this as the mere rumour of the day, without pretending to vouch for its accuracy.

antagonists. The General, meanwhile, was confined to his bed, emaciated to a skeleton, unable to sit on his horse, or to move ten paces, without help. He labours very hard to prove that the Americans obtained a decided victory. The result, however, was, that he called a council of war, who gave it as their unanimous opinion, that the attack on Montreal should be abandoned, and the army return to the American shore, to take up winter-quarters. General Wilkinson is anxious to shew, that this retrograde movement was produced not by defeat, but by the want of provisions; and particularly by his not having been joined by an expected reinforcement under General Hampton. General Hampton, however, justly pleadsthat it would have made bad worse, to have joined himself to an army without the means of subsistence, especially as he had it not in his power to bring any with him. In his dispatch to General Hampton, requiring his co-operation, General Wilkinson tells him:"I am destined to, and determined on, the attack of Montreal, if not prevented by some act of God." He then describes the route he means to take, until he obtain foothold on Montreal Island. "After which,” somewhat in the Bobadil style, " our artil lery, bayonets, and swords, must secure our triumph, or provide us honourable graves." BRITAIN.

On the 12th instant, the Custom-house in Thames-street was completely consumed by, a fire which appears to have broken out accidentally. A large amount of property, and an immense quantity of valuable records have been destroyed; and great inconve nience and delay have been caused to the commercial world. The business of the Custom-house has been removed for the present to the Commercial Sale-rooms in Mincinglane.

The Rev. Dr. Middleton is appointed the new bishop of India.

No. 147.]

For the Christian Observer.

ON THE CONNECTION BETWIXT THE INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL POWERS.

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." 1 Cor. i. 19.

NDERSTANDING being the prominent feature which distinguishes man from the inferior creation, it is not surprising that he should value it highly; or, even without the sanction of Scripture, that he should deem himself bound not to hide so precious a talent in a napkin, but to bestow on it that culture by which it may be improved. Neither can we wonder, that in a revealed code of Divine Laws, vouchsafed for the regulation of human conduct, a right manage ment of the excellent gift of reason should be recommended. 64 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge; buy the truth, and sell it not: also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding."- "Wisdom is the principal thing; she shall be as an ornament of grace about thy neck, and a crown of glory on thy bead."

On the other hand, under the clearer dispensation of the Gospel, we find human wisdom considerably depreciated, and, in its discoveries and instructions relative to spiritual knowledge, represented as a weak and incompetent guide. "Where is the wise; where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 147.

"The world by wisdom knew not God who chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.'

Since the information of the New Testament was given, not to contradict, but to elucidate, the statements of the Old, the true interpretation of these passages must needs be that which preserves their harmonious correspondence, and reconciles their seeming contrariety. We are therefore to believe, that before life and immortality were fully brought to light by the Gospel, the researches of reason were of no inconsiderable use in attaining the knowledge, and directing the practice, of duty; and that, even in our state of clearer information, they are capable of conferring substantial good. Yet, if they are isolated and separated from Divine Truth, they are now, as they were prior to the Christian era, feeble and even erring directors in spiritual concerns.

Allow me to submit to the consideration of your readers a few remarks, illustrative of these two positions. Let us ask, first, How far is the cultivation of the intellectual powers conducive to the improvement of the moral part of our nature? and, secondly, What are the moral evils to be apprehended, from the improvement and exertion of the intellect, when unaccompanied by faith in revelation?

I. They who have improved their understandings are capable, it will not be denied, of making considerable advances in the study of natural religion. From the order which their habits of attention and investi

T

gation have instructed them to observe in the visible creation, in the mazy circuits of the planetary orbs, the faithful returns of day and night, the alternation of seasons, the symmetry and correspondence of parts in individual animals and plants, and the general resemblance among the tribes and families of each; they may infer that the world does not exist fortuitously, but is the work of a great intelligent Being. This first cause is God; and from an observation of the general and simple laws and resemblances, which pervade different parts of the creation, they are further led to a belief in the UNITY of the creating power; while his beneficence is not less clearly pointed out by the adaptation of surrounding objects to convenience and pleasure.

Men of improved understandings are, likewise, capable of reasoning on the immortality of the human 'soul. From a perception of its instinctive hope of faturity, and of the natural apprehension of punish ment excited by remorse; from the illimitable progress in intellectual and moral improvement, which man seems capable of making, beyond the narrow circle of his present being; from the imperfect adjust ment of recompence to virtue and vice on earth; and, finally, from the universal concurrence of mankind in the belief of immortal life: from this body of evidence they might infer, with tolerable assurance, the probability of a future state.

These two articles of natural beTief might constitute, in their minds, some substance of religious principle, sufficient to plant at least a slender guard on their conduct.

It were idle here to object, that wherever these refined opinions existed in the ancient world, they were not, in fact, the deductions of reason, but vestiges of the original faith imprinted on the minds of our first progenitors, and afterwards partially obscured, or absorbed, in the corruptions of idolatrous worship. We are at present making

concessions; and in that view may grant, that there is nothing in these doctrines, as there is in the mysteries of Christianity, which unassisted reason seems not at least capable of acquiring.

From an improved understanding, several subordinate principles of duty might, in like manner, be derived, without the aid of revelation. A sense of honour, a regard to utility, a perception of the beauty of virtue, are, in their most improved state, found only in cultivated minds. Habits, as well as principles, favourable to morality, may be expected to accrue from mental culture. The solidity which it establishes is unfavourable to volatility and inconsideration. It enthrones reason amidst the passions; and it at once elevates and purifies the character, by instilling a preference of the refined tastes to the sordid appetites. They, too, who habituate themselves not to ACT, without foreweighing consequences, will be less apt rashly to SIN, without foreweighing consequences.

Now, if these beneficial tendencies of an improved understanding were, like a tremulous lamp shining in a dark place, though doubtless a feeble, yet a partial, substitute, for the Gospel, in times preceding its appearance; especially among the Jews, who could combine them with the knowledge conveyed by the Mosaic dispensation; they are still not wholly unworthy of notice, as adding their humble aid to the powerful influence of Christianity, in cherishing the growth of morals. It is satisfactory to find, that in some broad lines, natural and revealed religion proclaim the same truths; that reason and the Gospel unite in inculcating the same general principles. And while we build our belief on a stronger foundation of evidence, and practise morality from more cogent motives than the unaided understanding could furnish, it is expedient for beings naturally frail and encompassed with dangers, to arm themselves with the lighter