from their eyries at the sudden disruption of the masses of rock above, and wheeled in long circles round the mountains, &c."

After thus heaping Pelion on Ossa, and Ossa on Olympus, our author is not yet satisfied; but, as if determined to snap the strings of our sympathy, adds, "The difficulties in the first part of our ascent appeared mere trifles to those we had to encounter in the latter."-But even this will not do; for, to complete the climax, as Lancelot approaches Alet, he is made to say,

The pass is fearfu!: though not so magnificent, it is far more dangerous than that of the Chartreuse." Surely, had the author used a little more reflection, he would have felt the impropriety of thus wildly departing from the original narrative, as well as have started back at the extravagance of his own representations.

While we are forced thus to impugn the historical accuracy of the author, as well as his fidelity in the record of the sentiments introduced by Lancelot, we feel fully disposed to recognize his talent for description, which would appear to advantage in the construction even of a romance. There are many beautiful passages connected with the account of La Trappe and its Abbè. Yet, throughout the volume, we behold, in the various descriptive passages, too great an absence of that fine taste which, out of a multitude of images that offer themselves to the fancy, selects those which are the most appropriate, and rejects, with out regret, all such as rather tend to overload a description with ornament than to illustrate or adorn it.

The remainder of this volume is occupied by a sketch of the history of Port Royal, together with some account of the lives of Jansenius and the Abbé de St. Cyran. Though these pieces are less open to censure than the Tour to Alet, and contain a very large portion of interesting matter, we are sorry to state, that throughout they are very far from presenting a faithful and characteris

tic portrait of the things and persons to which they relate. Our limits will not allow us to enlarge, yet it would hardly be just to throw out this censure without adducing some further proofs.

At page 130, it is stated, that on the question of absolution, M.de St. Cyran's notion was, that "where evangelical repentance and faith were evidenced by corresponding fruits, he might pronounce an absolution truly declaratory of the will of God:" and it is added, that for this sentiment a charge of heresy was preferred against him. This statement is very erroneous; for the Council of Trent, to which St. Cyran (Lancelot's Memoirs, vol. I, p. 162), declared himself entirely devoted, has decided against the Protestants, that absolution is not simple declaration. (Vide Sess. XIV. ch. vi.) But we have direct evidence to nullify the author's assertion; for M. de St. Cyran, it is said, declared to M. Lescot, that he thought, in common with the greatest divines (les saints docteurs), that absolution was efficacious and necessary for the justification of the sinner, and not a mere judicial declaration that his sins were remitted.-Memoires de St. Cyran, vol. I. p. 495.

The author, it is clear, erroneously attributes to M. de St. Cyran the doctrine of our own Church upon absolution: his own friend, on the other hand, attests his Roman-Catholic orthodoxy.

At page 151, a long character of St. Cyran is inserted, which is declared to be drawn up by one of his disciples. The disciple intended is La Fontaine. On comparing the two characters together (La Fontaine's Mem. vol. II. p. 149), it will be found that, with the exception of a few sentences, the whole passage is a fabrication.

At p. 213, there is a very diffuse account of the conduct of the PortRoyalists, during the civil commotions which marked the minority of Louis XIV. It is in our author's highest style of romance; and, though

A Practical Exposition of the Tendency and Proceedings of the British and Foreign Bible Society, begun in a Correspondence between the Rev. H. H. Norris, and J. W. Freshfield, Esq. relative to the Formation of an Auxiliary Bible Society at Hackney; and compleated in an Appendix, containing an entire Series of the public Documents and private Papers which that Measure occasioned, illustrated with Notes and Observations. Edited by the Rev. H. H. NORRIS, M. A. Curate of St. John's Chapel, Hackney, and Chaplain to the Earl of Shaftesbury. London. 1813. 8vo. pp. 440.

THIS volume was addressed in public advertisements to the lovers of demonstration. It was our intention to examine it at large; but it seems unnecessary to dilate upon a work which has excited no difference of opinion among those for whose use

Among this class of writers, the most worthy of attention are, Nicole, Pascal, De Saci, and La Fontaine.

it was intended, and which seems already to have passed into oblivion.

The difference between Mr. Nor; ris and Dr. Marsh seems to be this: -Dr. Marsh pretends to fear what the Curate of Hackney does really fear. Dr. Marsh sleeps quietly at night, though professedly full or trepidation by day. Mr. Norris is frightened in good earnest: we suspect that his sleep is exceedingly disturbed. The Doctor always conveys to our mind the impression of a person influenced by pure love of controversy: the other Inquirer, with no violent dislike to wrangling and warfare, is so marvellously impelled by his terrors, that he will believe any statement upon any authority, provided that statement furnish a new ground of alarm; and he will honestly and conscientiously argue in support of a fact which never existed, and the non-existence of which was obvious to all the world besides. Mr. Norris is sincere, and Dr. Marsh is dexterous. They are engaged on the same side, with qualifications widely different, and with principles which can never coalesce: there is the same hatred; but with one, it is the batred of calculation,-with the other, of the passions.

The first 128 pages contain a correspondence between Mr. Norris and Mr. Freshfield, on the subject of the Bible Society. Then follows a collection of letters, addresses, counter-addresses, reports, &c. chiefly in relation to the parish of Hackney. The remainder of the volume is filled with papers about Bible Associations;-the whole interspersed with remarks by the Editor. The last forty pages are in the nature of an appendix.

We are assured that Mr. Fresh

or consent;

field's letters were published with out his concurrence yet we know not whether they would have derived much benefit from the corrections of the author. They are written in a strain of manly sense and piety; and although the love of lecturing which

has seized his opponent leads both writers to the examination of topics quite foreign to the main question at issue, the original cause is so simple, that a child may separate what is necessary to the discussion from that which is merely contingent. How many of the 440 pages of this volume are utterly irrelevant, we shall not inquire: if we should reckon them at 439, our readers might think the position extrava gant: we are much deceived, how ever, if they will not esteem the whole volume superfluous, when they shall have weighed the follow ing observations.

The simple and avowed object of the Institution which is called the Bible Society, is the distribution of the Holy Scriptures.

It is universally admitted, that the copies circulated in this country are in the authorised versions: and with respect to copies which are distributed in other countries, their correctness, we believe, has never been impeached.

It is the object of Mr. Norris to destroy this Institution. For this purpose, be employs all the talents with which Providence has blessed him. He is much in earnest, and we give him full credit for integrity; but we doubt whether the present discussion is exactly that sort of discussion to which his powers are adapted. His principles are peculiar; his assumptions are unfortunate; his facts are extraordinary; and his reasoning is not precisely after the fashion of that University which he claims for his alma mater. Our remarks will follow the order of this arrangement. Let us turn first to the PRINCIPLES which are contained in this volume. If we should say that Mr. Norris was hostile to the general circulation of the Scriptures, he might possibly complain of us as misrepresenting his character and feelings. What then, we will ask, would be the conduct of a person who did really entertain such views? If his object were in truth to check the universal diffu

sion of the Word of God, how would he proceed? He would probably ridicule those who contributed for a Bible: he would sneer at the arguments which induced them to subscribe: he would pretend to be zealous for the extension of scriptural knowledge, but would guard it by very cautious limitations: he would dwell with much semblance of piety upon the evils to be apprehended from it: he would profess great anxiety, lest the cheapness of the Bible should bring it into contempt: he would provide himself with stories of dishonest old women and pawnbrokers' shops; and above all, he would maintain the utter inutility of the Word of God, and its probable mischiefs, unless explained and illustrated by human skill. It is obvious that the tendency of such a system is to bring the Scriptures into general disuse. Now let us look at some of the doings of Mr. Norris. His apprehensions are often and variously expressed: a few proofs will suffice.

1. He ridicules the earnestness which many poor persons have shewn to receive a copy of the Scriptures, and sneers with indecent levity at the arguments by which their attention has been drawn to this subject. See a long note to this effect in 346. page 2. The Hackney Vestry, under the direction of Mr. Norris, shew a laudable anxiety not to circulate the Scriptures without great caution-and all out of reverence to the Sa. cred Volume!

"Resolved, That, in the apprehension of this meeting, an indiscriminating distribution of the Bible has a tendency to lessen

the reverence due to that Sacred Volume.

"Resolved, That this meeting do at the expressed by the Vicar, that a copy of the same time most heartily concur in the wish Holy Scriptures, together with the Liturgy of the Church of England, were in the pos session of every family in the parish desir, ous of obtaining them, and who upon due inquiry shall be found likely to make a right use of such a gift.”

3. "One thing is certain, which

Probably they did not anticipate: the reverence in which the Scriptures are held by the lower classes, has by no means increased in proportion to the ease with which they are to be obtained,"* p. 163. What is the remedy? Make it difficult for a poor man to procure a Bible.

4. Mr. Norris dwells with much apparent satisfaction on the tales which have been propagated about Pawn brokers' shops: they now, it should seem, overflow with Bibles!-It will be observed, that these and similar passages are in fact not levelled at the Bible Society, but at the distribution of the Bible itself.

5. His opinion of the utter inutility of the Scriptures without other means, and of the caution with which the Bible should be distributed, is forcibly expressed in the following passage:

"If every Churchman would zealously labour to increase the funds of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, I will be bold to say that it would do much more than the Bible Society does, or can undertake to do; for it would not only disperse the Bible wherever it might be deemed expedient to give it circulation, but would also send with it, what alone can make it effectual to the salvation of mankind, the ministers and sacraments of the Christian Church." p 195.

II. We come next to his assUMP

TIONS.

Mr. Norris is not one of those sickly sons of concession, who approve of motives where they censure the conduct. He considers those who support a Society which distributes Bibles alone, including, of course (for no exception is made), the whole body of prelates, nobles, and clergy, as carrying on an "insidious warfare" (page xi.) against the establishments of their country.

"The four authors to whom I referred you have, in my judgment, completely exhausted the subject, and developed all the depths of the design," &c. p. 50..

At p. 75, we hear of "the cautious veterans who direct in secret

* Ir. Norris has a great deal to this effect in different parts of the volume.

Perhaps Bishop Porteus and the Bishop.

the campaigns of the Society," &c.; campaigns carried on, we are told, for the very purpose of " superseding our venerable Establishment." Does not Mr. Norris know, that the committees, where all the business of the Society is transacted, are open to all clerical members who chuse to attend them?

"A new holy cause is at present creating, precisely the counterpart of that which once plunged the country into civil wars, and deluged it with the best blood of its inhabitants." p 337.

"And this immense incorporation, and these numerous sittings, are professedly for no other purpose than to supply the Poor of this district with Bibles!!!" p. 358.

such a case as will excite a general jealousy "He (the Editor) hopes he has made out of the immense incorporation which is now taking place, so preposterously excessive in comparison of the object to the attainment of which it professes itself exclusively devoted; and of the political ascendency which it is acquiring. He hopes, moreover, that he has fixed the public attention to the instructive records of a former period of our history, when religion was made the pretext for the darkest designs, and when a frenzy of refor mation, rendered as contagious as a pestilence by the strong delusions of visionary and designing men, prevailed for a season over the quiet good sense of Englishment, and burried them from one wickedness to another, till the kingdom was degraded to its ancient barbarism, and became the victin of the capricious tyranny and insatiable avarice of the most abandoned of its inhabitants, and the prolific parent of every species of apostacy from God." p 360. And all this for distributing Bibles!

"With the same assiduity that the sons of confusion,” (Mr. Norris's name, we presume, for the princes, prelates, nobles, &c. who sup port the Society) "labour to discredit it "(viz. Barruel's Memoirs of Jacobinism) "should those who wish to fool them in their enterprizes exert themselves to recover its reputation, and to draw the public attention to its tremendous narrative, the preparatory scenes of which, with the most circumstantial accuracy, are now acting amongst ourselves, and in open day,without exciting apprehension.” p. 392.

"The breach now meditated is made to confine its menaces solely to the Church; of Durham are the persons intended. Hodgson's Life of Bishop Porteus,

See