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But how useful soever these rules To a work possessing superior excelmay appear, they occupy only a subor-lencies, it is scarcely needful to add, dinate station in the compiler's plan. that the paper is remarkably good, He places before the reader a system and the type equally clear. To young of ethics, without entering into those persons, and to many others, who may profound recesses, in search of the have reached an age to acquire anorigin of action, where the pupil some- other appellation, we consider this to times travels only to behold the suffo- be a valuable performance. It concation of those philosophers, whose veys, at a small price, the sentiments visionary speculations he had been of some of our most celebrated writempted to follow. The great object ters, and furnishes specimens of their of this work seems to be, to point out modes of thinking, and their manner those duties which we owe to God, to of expressing their thoughts. We our fellow-creatures, and to ourselves; have no doubt that the compiler will to enforce a discharge of them; to place meet with that encouragement, of virtue in an amiable light; to make which we think his labours highly device appear detestable; and to array serving. in the garb of dignity, those truths on which are founded the imperious mandates of moral obligation.

The work seems admirably calculated to awaken thought in the youthful mind, and to give expansion to the intellectual powers; and the wisdom of the compiler appears highly conspicuous in those selections which he has made. They elevate the mind, which they seem to accommodate by familiar condescension; and conduct it through intricacies in such pleasing paths, that the reader forgets he is ascending an eminence, because he is gratified with his movements, being charmed into an unconsciousness of fatigue or weariness.

Of any particular theological tenets, the compiler has scarcely suffered any tinge to appear. A selection that would incline to sanction any favourite creed, is generally counterbalanced by another of a different tendency, through which the equilibrium is again restored. On the more exalted doctrines of the Gospel he rarely touches; but nothing resembling reprehensible enthusiasm is permitted to pollute his pages. Viewing this work through the medium of sectarian spectacles, perhaps persons of hostile creeds may find occasions to complain, that their own local opinions are not inculcated; but we are not aware that even the most fastidious will discover any just cause to reject, as erroneous or useless, a single selection, from the great variety which the author has introduced.

Of the style and peculiarities of composition nothing can be said. The work is avowedly a compilation, and as such it partakes of all that diversity of diction, by which the productions of each author are distinguished.

At

REVIEW.-The Mystery of Godliness. A Sermon intended as a check to Deism. By John Bryant. Published by request. Second edition, 8vo. pp. 37. Blanshard, London, 1820. THIS is one of those articles, which, independently of its own intrinsic merit, derives considerable importance from the complexion of the times. a period like the present, when the advocates of infidelity are using every exertion which power and impudence can combine, to promote the interests of that gloomy system, we cannot but hail with pleasure, every effort that is made to check the progress of the destructive torrent; and more especially so, when the means employed are calculated to ensure success.

The text which Mr. Bryant has taken, (1 Timothy, iii. 16.) furnishes an admirable basis on which to take his stand, not only to defend the Gospel, but occasionally to carry his arms into the territories of the assailant. Mr. B. readily admits, that the Gospel contains mysteries; but he successfully contends, that this can furnish no reason against its authenticity, nor be admitted as an argument why it should not be received. Mysteries, he argues, are inseparable from the Divine nature, the Divine attributes, and from every thing that is the effect of creative energy. Hence, if nothing were to be admitted as true, but that which is exempt from mysteries, we should not even allow, either the Divine Being, a material world, or ourselves, to exist. The second part of this discourse applies to the facts recorded in the text, and the third aims at an improvement of the subject.

In the method of arrangement, there | book with his mind less disposed to is nothing either new or striking. It treat with reverence sacred things; embraces the common routine of ser- with his heart less able to withstand monizing:-an introduction; a first, the insinuations of impure desires; a second, a third; and an improve- or with perceptions of morality less ment. The matter, however, is highly acute,-may conclude such a book has important, whether we view it in rela- done him real harm. We may theretion to the prevalency of political opi- fore open our examination of Don nion, to morals, or to theology. From Juan with the three following axioms. a work so small, we cannot afford room for any quotations; but we can assure our readers, that a shilling laid out in the purchase of this pamphlet, will be advantageously bestowed.

1. The Religion of the Bible is the strictest morality, having in view the happiness of man as an individual, and of the human race collectively, both now and hereafter: whatever lessens our reverence for the Scriptures, weakens our morality.

The

Animadversions on Lord Byron's " Don Poem before us does this, it is there

Juan."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE IMPERIAL

MAGAZINE.

SIR,-To eugolize the poetry, and condemn the impiety, of Lord Byron, appears so generally to comprehend the sentiments of his readers of all classes, that it may seem superfluous for me to occupy your pages on the subject; and I should never have done so, had not my recent perusal of his last publication, Don Juan, convinced me more than ever of the injurious tendency of this production of its noble author.

-or

As a Poem, it contains all those strong discriminating features which characterize his Lordship's former publications: it is impressed with the stamp of a genius, altogether his own;-that strength in delineating character, that splendour of imagery and description,-and, above all, that rich poetical versatility of language, which adapts itself to all subjects,assimilates all subjects to his powers. Not to be sensible of the superior powers of this autocrat of modern poetry, would betray an insensibility to the sublimest productions of a modern pen. It is always pleasant to award praise, and painful to convey | censure. The latter, however, is the unpleasant duty of your correspondent at present; and he is compelled by a duty to his own conscience, and those to whom his influence may reach, to characterize Don Juan as an immoral Poem. This is a serious charge, and ought not hastily to be advanced. I am not, however, the first who has brought such a charge against this poem, as I am afraid the subsequent proofs will too fully justify.

Whoever rises from the perusal of a

fore immoral.

2. Adultery is forbidden by the Law of God in the Bible, because it is prejudicial to the interests and happiness of mankind: whatever lessens our abhorrence of adultery, is contrary to the Scriptures, and our own happiness. Don Juan does this,-it is therefore immoral.

3. Whatever has a tendency to create or foster impure thoughts, or lessen the sacredness of the marriage tie, is contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, in which an evil eye or an evil thought is adultery. The story of Don Juan has a tendency to do this,-it is therefore immoral.

A very brief abstract of the story will shew its tendency to produce the effect charged upon it in the second of the foregoing propositions: Don Juan is the son of Don José and Donna Inez; the father dies, and leaves his child to the guardianship and tutorage of his mother; her qualifications for this important office are minutely described,- -as a woman,

"O! she was perfect past all parallel,”.
"Of any modern female saint's comparison,

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"But then she had a devil of a spirit." (i.e.) as you will perceive, the spirit of a devil, for we are told "Juan was taught from out the best editions" of Anacreon, Tibullus, Ovid, &c. those editions forsooth, when the " grosser parts," instead of being scattered through the pages," stand forth marshalled in a handsome troop" at the end of the volume. Thus educated, our author's hero is prepared, at the age of thirteen, with the most anomalous and hybrid associations of childhood and lust for the part he is to act; and the reader is conducted, with all

the insinuations which may excite his own passions, from Juan's incipient conception of a libidinous passion, to its guilty consummation with the Donna Julia, the young and beautiful wife of an old man. I shall not pollute your pages with quoting his obscenity, through several stanzas of the most moral-poisoning double intendre; if those scenes indeed deserve the epithet, over which the blandishments of poetry have hardly thrown a veil. This detestable adventure concludes the first canto, and the noble author observes

"This was Don Juan's earliest scrape, but

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"I shall proceed with his adventures, is Dependent on the public altogether. "We'll see, however, what they say to this." While the guilt before hinted at was going on, the husband of Donna Julia, who was expected to be distant, returns, and an eclaircissement takes place, the consequences of which are, that Don Juan is sent away to travel, takes ship, a storm arises, the vessel is cast away. This affords a fine opportunity for Lord Byron's descriptive powers; and the shipwreck is perhaps (some few unseasonable strokes of the ludicrous excepted) as fine a strain of poetic imagery as is to be found in any work. After enduring the most horrid perils for some time with a part of the crew, he finds himself the sole survivor on a reef of rock, and in the arms of a fisherman's daughter. Here he again gets into his second scrape of guilt; in which the second canto leaves him at the conclusion of the first volume.-I conceive that this brief outline of the story will shew its immoral tendency. The noble author tells us in one stanza, that he has forgotten the number of the commandments in the decalogue which he was about to quote. As it is probable he

does not often read the commandments, and still more seldom recollect them, I would remind him and his readers, that the seventh commandment refers itself to the case, and runs thus, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." See also our Saviour's exposition of the spirit thereof.

In the third of my foregoing propositions, I have asserted that this poem has a tendency to foster impure thought, and to lessen the sacredness of the marriage tie. This I think must appear from more than inference of fact

to be the case, in the arguments with which he furnishes some of his characters. He may call it light poetry; but light poetry should be weighed seriously by an author, when it goes to poison the springs of virtue. There is One who will weigh it in the balance of the sanctuary.

His adulterous heroine, Julia, to put to the test her unnatural passion for her boyish paramour Don Juan, "determined that a virtuous woman should rather face and overcome temptation; that flight was base and dastardly;" and then he adds, "I recommend young ladies to make trial!" The viper is here too ill concealed, to make it necessary to warn them of its sting and its poison. I would however, Sir, just recommend young ladies, (and you have such readers, in whose welfare I am interested,) I say, I would recommend them not to make trial of the strength of their virtue by exposing themselves to temptation, but to "flee youthful lusts."—But this is not the worst: For "what men call gallantry, and gods adultery," his Lordship has smoother terms; and although he pretends to read in Barrow, South, Tillotson, and Blair, "the highest teachers of eloquence in piety and prose," yet he presently asserts, that," few things surpass old wine; and they may preach, who please the more, because they preach in vain; let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter." O yes! "What men call gallantry, and gods adultery," i. e." Inconstancy-is nothing more than admiration due, where nature's rich profusion with young beauty covers o'er some favoured object." ****" "Tis the perception of the beautiful, a fine extension of the faculties; Platonic, Editor, ifour aversion to the sentiments universal, wonderful." Really, Mr. in this definition of "Inconstancy" did not absorb all considerations of the language in which they are conveyed, we might be tempted to exclaim with the noble poet, in one of his couplets,

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His speech was a fine sample, on the whole, "Of rhetoric, which the learn'd call rigmarole.""

The next part of my painful duty leads me to prove my first proposition, namely, that sacred things are treated with levity. I shall here make rather more quotations; but of these, neither all,nor the worst that might be made.

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