CORRESPONDENCE.

as

From an intimate Friend. Tenth Mo. 1832. "I have lately been engaged in attending one of the oldest heads of the Jews in this country. I think he was considered by his brethren next to their Herschell. He was apparently quite a poor man of between eighty and ninety years of age, evidently near his end when I was called in. The circumstance afforded me an interesting specimen of the traces which the Jews still retain of patriarchal manners. I understood that he had had his very numerous children and grandchildren brought to him, and blessed them individually with a separate and peculiar prayer." T. H.

From a Friend employed to distribute some money out of a Charitable bequest. "Many who received relief have not more than one shilling each to live upon-in some instances not so much. Perhaps thou mayst be surprised at this, but I have visited them myself and can assure thee that nine out of ten, when rent is paid, have not more left for the week's necessities: the purchase of clothing, when coals and candles to work by are bought, at however cheap a rate, is impossible.

The poor are called bad managers, and improvident, and so many of them are; but it often amazes me to see how they exist from week to week and month to month, upon so lean a pittance as the parish gives to the old and helpless, who live alone in small houses or single rooms, where, unthought of and unknown, they lead contented and even thankful lives! We have already relieved about thirty families, and have yet a deal left" [out of a sum of twelve guineas.]

The place, a considerable Market town in Staffordshire-date First Month, 1832.

"We are

To an intimate friend abroad. Twelfth Mo., 1831. obliged by the many particulars communicated in thine, on Bible distribution and the Reformation of Religion on the Continent. We continue to rejoice, as much as ever, in witnessing the distribution of the written word; believing that, wherever it is attended with the requisite degree of education, it will enter into the mind as light, and into the heart as power, and produce the blessed effects of the Gospel. But it continues still (as our Lord declared it would) to divide 'five in one house, three against two and two against three-so that the further it spreads the more of contention arises. Of contention for the truth on the part of some, and against both truth and (I fear) knowledge and conscience also, on the part of others. With some, it is still the best outward boon and treasure-with others the most mischievous book in the world—according as their several interests and prepossessions lie on this side, or on that, of the great question of Reformation." "What an aspect does the Religious world (as it is sometimes called)now present-what differences, what uncharitableness! Much that is wrong may certainly be attributed to the natural love of dominion, and the prevalence of a selfish interest in the breasts of too many, who are yet in possession [of the outward wealth and

power]. But does nothing of the kind ensue from wrong views and unsound principles, as to the very ground and nature of Christ's kingdom on earth? Do none of those who call for Reformation, in fact mean by it, that themselves may reign, that they may eject the occupants of seats in a humanly-ordained and power-supported Hierarchy, and take these to them and theirs for an inheritance in like kind?

"It is for us, who believe that the kingdom of God is within and amongst all who have attained [to the dominion over their own spirits and affections, in the power of truth] and that Church rule and discipline is an instrument in the hands of certain officers [to be used] in the Church's behalf, for edification and a clean camp alone-it is for us to maintain and publish our Testimony to this important truth in God's behalf. I have lately caused to be printed two Editions (the latter of 5000 copies) of John Milton's Considerations touching the likeliest means to remove hirelings out of the Church -a forcible and elegant appeal to the Parliament of these realms, published in the year 1659; in favour of entire Liberty of conscience, and against Tithe and other Ecclesiastical exactions, then and since in practice."

From an intimate friend. Tenth Mo. 22nd, 1831. "R. has just returned from his journey to A. which seems to have been in most respects satisfactory. He gives a description, however, of the Dorsetshire clergy, which but too closely coincides with thy character of the body at large. They encroach more and more in every species of exaction, and the labouring man's little strip of ground containing a few potatoes is tithed with a rigour equally unchristian and impolitic; whilst the Honey, which the ploughman might (one would have supposed) have been allowed to take undiminished from his rustic hive, as his scanty share of the sweets of life, is pounced upon by the ignavum pecus with the characteristic rapacity of drones ?

ART. VI. FABLES, &C. IN VERSE AND PROSE.-CONTINUED.

Alexander and Xerxes.

From the Latin of VINCENT BOURNE, the two latter Stanzas added. A world subdu'd, the Conqu'ror wept

For others to subdue :

Proud Xerxes felt a pang, and steep'd
In tears his glory too.

While subject myriads mov'd in arms
Beneath his wide survey,

How soon (he cried) these mortal swarms
Shall Nature sweep away!

I praise not Alexander's grief,

(For love of human kind)

And deem that thine, O Persia's chief!
Evinc'd a sounder mind.

Written 1809.

Why, then, were myriads led to War,
Whom Time had doom'd to die?
Alas! each following age may spare
To thee the sad reply!—

Yet sheath, ye Kings! at length the steel,
Nor leave us to deplore

That man, once crown'd, must cease to feel,
Or see his kind no more!

The Eagle and the Beetle.

Æsop, 2.

Swift as the driven snows, when tempests reign,
Scuds a poor hare across the naked plain;

Yet swifter, shot like hail from stormy skies,

In close pursuit, the feather'd Eagle flies:

So fear and hunger race, when life must yield the prize.
Hard press'd, the wretched fugitive yet found

A little cavern in the rising ground,

A Beetle's mansion; entering here, she pray'd
Quick shelter; and the cavern's ready aid
Was granted-while our host, arm'd cap-a-pe
Thus at his door bespoke the bird of prey:
"By mighty Jove, by thy own sacred nest-
And much had urged, to save his trembling guest,
But now th' impatient Eagle brush'd away
At once the suppliant, and drew out the
prey;
Then, slowly rising, turn'd his stately flight
Back to his proud home, on Olympus' height.

Him follow'd, seeing yet unseen, below,
Th' insulted Beetle, now his mortal foe;
Who, bent on vengeance, nigh in ambush lay,
Till next the royal birds went out for
prey;
Then to the eggs his puny might applied,
Nor ceas'd, till he had rolled them o'er the side.
The birds, returning, see their hopes destroy'd,
Indignant mourn, and leave the eyry void;
Yet soon (so nature prompts) again prepare
The cumbrous nest; now set with double care
On loftier cliffs, in deeper solitude,
Secure, they fondly think, from pillage rude.
Hither, again, the vengeful Beetle came,
His purpose, labour, and success the same.
Too plainly, now, some enemy is seen,

Of potent arm, from whom no height may screen
The hapless pair: to patron Jove they fly,
Make known their woes, and for protectiou cry.
He (the mythologists of old relate)

Sits on the mountain-top, in regal state;
There wields the thunder in his mighty hand,
Thence speeds his mandates o'er the subject land.
And now (behold a favourite's influence,)
Shall Jove's own lap become the brood's defence:
Here laid, his Eagles warm the pregnant shell,

By Jove's own hand caress'd, and dream that all is well.

H.

222

power]. But does not." unsound principles, as kingdom on earth? D fact mean by it, that t occupants of seats in a archy, and take these kind?"

"It is for us, who amongst all who have and affections, in the cipline is an instrumen in the Church's behalf. for us to maintain and in God's behalf. I ha latter of 5000 copies) likeliest means to re and elegant appeal to the year 1659; in t against Tithe and of practice."

From an intimate

just returned from in most respects s of the Dorsetshire thy character of t more in every spec strip of ground co equally unchristian. man might (one v undiminished from of life, is pounced rapacity of drones

Watten 1809.

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PRO PATRIA.

FIFTH DAY, 14th SECOND Mo. 1833. PRICE 4d.

The Apostle Peter: his official character, or primacy in the
Church of Christ.

we assert that a Scripture text is perverted by others, we at least be prepared to give a satisfactory account of it to ourWhat are we to think of the expressions of Christ to Peter, vi Matthew, verses 13 to 19? And especially of this sentence, art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the Hell shall not prevail against it: and I will give unto thee s of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind h, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shall loose th, shall be loosed in heaven." These are very full expressions, em to attribute much to that disciple; who presently afterwards (see v. 22) that he took too much, on this occasion, to himThe interrupted his Master when he was prophesying his own iation and death, bidding him pity himself (as the Greek words y) and put the thing from him; by which forwardness he drew mself the rebuke of Christ, and an epithet certainly little conit with the title of Supreme Head of the Church on earth. We ranslate it in the mildest form, thus, " Get thee behind me, (out

y presence! be of God, Jesiasti

adversary, for thou savourest not the things that be of men"-the great fault of aspiring

ligious controversy, in another communion, ity of the Pope over the whole collection of much (I understand) on this text. They say, from the Lord that episcopal authority, which at Rome; and transmitted to other Ecclesiasand they to our own clergy, here in England.