er and human estimation was the ruling passion of Bonaparte, that the desire of promoting human happiness was the ruling passion of Howard, that some are often absorbed by affection to a beloved object, that others are slaves to a desire for wealth and distinction, none who have read the history of mankind and mingled with the world can deny.

The peculiarity of such a controling principle is, that it takes the lead of all other interests, so that any thing else which comes in competition, eventually yields. There may be seasons when other objects occupy the mind, and opposing interests may sometimes seem for a while to gain the ascendency, but in the final result the dominant passion will always be found to maintain its superior control. The ambitious man may sometimes yield for a season to the dictates of conscience or the calls of affection, the avaricious man may sometimes yield to the claims of pity, the man of pleasure may for a time engage in more elevated pursuits, but the final bent and current of interest and effort will eventually follow the real governing purpose of the mind.

Very frequently this controling interest is determined by the natural constitutional tendencies, but it is as often found to be the result of circumstances, or of education, or of voluntary efforts at self government. Some minds seem destitute of any such particular leading principle. They seem to have their interests and efforts regulated more by circumstances than by any peculiarity of char

acter, sometimes being engrossed by one interest, and sometimes by another, and never manifesting any controling tendency of mind. And yet it will be found that such minds, often by circumstances or by voluntary efforts, acquire such a controling principle. For example, a child grows up without exhibiting any particular tendency of this kind. He is interested in whatever chances to be presented to his attention. But he is thrown into a circle in which the desire for military glory is awakened and stimulated; it is constantly increased by certain influences, until at last it becomes the all-absorbing passion for life.

But the most interesting fact in relation to this peculiarity is, that the master passion of the mind is susceptible of change, and that this change may be produced, by the voluntary efforts of the individual himself.

An example of this kind is recorded as authentic by, Foster, in his Essays. A young man of fortune, through his early career was engrossed by the pursuit of pleasure, until in supplying the gratifications of sense, his estate was squandered and himself reduced to beggary. One day as he was standing on an eminence overlooking his lost estate, he formed a sudden and firm determination to regain it. He commenced a life of labor and strict economy, and persevered in his course until avarice became his ruling passion, and he died a wealthy miser. Here a single momentary determination, followed up by corresponding action

changed entirely and for life, the whole current of his wishes, hopes, plans, and thoughts. He was transformed from a reckless, thoughtless spendthrift, to a calculating, industrious miser. Such sudden and entire changes of character, though not perhaps as marked, I have witnessed repeatedly in my own limited sphere of observation, and you probably have known such cases yourself.

It will not, I presume, be disputed by any one, that the ruling passion of the mind is one of the ingredients that is taken into consideration in estimating character.

These four particulars, I believe, include all that is ever regarded as constituting moral character, viz: constitutional peculiarities; the strength and extent of principles as learned by experience; the nature of a man's principles, or his intellectual views of what is right and wrong; and the leading interest or governing purpose of the mind. Habits refer to the ease or difficulty of any course of feeling or action, caused by repetition, and of course are included in the above particulars.

I do not wish to proceed any farther till it appears whether we agree so far. The question under consideration is, what is that character which is revealed as indispensable to future eternal happiness? As a preliminary, we must first determine what it is that is regarded as constituting human character, in order to learn what it is that can be made the subject of divine legislation. Will you

examine what I have written, and see if there is anything included in human character that could be made the subject of legislation, which I have not herein specified and described.

Yours, &c.

MY DEAR SIR,

LETTER IX.

It seems we agree that character is that which is to decide our destiny after death, and that the particulars I have specified, include all that ever are regarded in forming an estimate of character among mankind, and all that can be made a subject of divine legislation.

We approach then to the point for which we started, does the Bible decide what character is indispensable to future safety, so clearly that we can know that we are right, and that all who differ from us are wrong?

Before appealing to the Bible, it is necessary to bear in mind one important distinction, and that is, the difference between what is revealed as a rule of duty, and what is revealed as the indispensable pre-requisite to eternal safety and happiness.

We find the Bible contains strict and universal rules on all points of moral and religious duty. The world is filled with the jarring opinions of shortsighted men, as to what is right and what is wrong,