of the job has cost quite as much mental | keeping it in all night. We have always exertion as the original writing of it. In to light anew in the morning by means this business I have been employed ever of a tinderbox, and a handful of shavings since the time that I wrote to you, and and sticks." that was last summer, till very lately. This exercise has, however, been a most excellent lesson in composition, so that I shall in the next instance do better the first time, and, therefore, never have again such a long and irksome task."

In the end, however, he was pretty well pleased with his handiwork; "I am completely satisfied with myself as to the laborious care which I have employed. I fully feel that unless this volume be written well I cannot write well. But, indeed, I am also certain that in many respects it is written well." Again, in reference to his Essay on Popular Ignorance,-"The job has been so wrought that I shall now feel a most perfect immovable assurance that any further complaints of obscurity, involvement, &c. &c. will be but proofs of the reader's want either of attention or capacity. Holdsworth sent me the British Review, in which, in the terms, "exquisite precision of language," I fancy I see a recognition (and the only one I ever have seen or heard) of that which I consider as the advantageous peculiarity of my diction; namely, is, if I may use such a phrase, its verity to the ideas -its being composed of words and constructions merely and directly fitted to the thoughts, with a perfect disregard of any general model, and a rejection of all the set and artificial formalities of phraseology in use, even among good writers: I may add a special truth and consistency in all language involving figure."

Mr Foster is very severe in his complaints against himself for habits of indolence; but his industry as a fire kindler is something of a makeweight on the other side:

"I have not yet begun my usual winter practice of rising before the beginning of daylight in the morning; but it is quite time to resume it, and I intend to do so to-morrow morning. I shall also begin to have a fire in this cold garret. All this dozen years I have always done every thing about my own fire myself; and I believe nobody can much excel me in that business; most certainly no one can in the art of keeping a fire alive with the least consumption of fuel. This is a very requisite art, for coals are very dear here, being all brought from a great distance. There is therefore no such thing as what you call raking the fire and

"I wish I could perform every other part of my employments, as well as I can make a fire; and that I had ever learnt to be as economical of time as of coals," &c., &c.—Vol. i. p. 385.

His notices of Mr Hall are frequent, and breathe a spirit of generous admiration and cordial attachment :

:

"I was two or three times in Hall's company, and heard him preach once; I am any one's rival in admiring him. In some remarkable manner, every thing about him, all he does or says, is instinct with power. Jupiter seems to emanate in his attitude, gesture, look, and tone of voice. Even a common sentence, when he utters one, seems to tell how much he can do. His intellect is peculiarly potential, and his imagination robes, without obscuring, the colossal form of his mind. He made a grand sermon on the fear of death, though I was told it was not his very best. He was specifically kind to me."-Vol. i. p. 74.

"Here one recollects that prince of magicians, Coleridge; whose mind, too, is clearly more original and illimitable than Hall's. Coleridge is indeed sometimes less perspicuous and impressive by the distance at which his mental operations are carried on. Hall works his enginery close by you, so as to endanger your being caught and torn by some of the wheels; just as one has felt sometimes when environed by the noise and gigantic movements of a great mill. I am very sorry that by means of a shorthand writer, or by any other means, some of Hall's sermons cannot be secured and printed."—Vol. i. p. 139.

"The grand attraction at Bristol was the preaching of Mr Hall, who happened to be on a visit there, and preached three Sundays. I contrived to hear him several times, and was glad to have the opportunity, as I had never heard him but twice or three times before. . . . The last sermon I heard him preach, which dwelt much on the topic of living in vain, made a more powerful impression on my mind than, I think, any one I ever heard. And this was not simply from its being the most eloquent sermon, unquestionably, that I ever heard, or probably ever shall hear, but from the solemn and alarming truth which it urged and pressed on the conscience, with the force of a tempest. I suppose every intelligent person has the impression, in hearing

...

him, that he surpasses every other preacher probably in the whole world. In the largest congregation there is an inconceivable stillness and silence while he is preaching, partly indeed owing to his having a weak, low voice, though he is a strong, large-built man; but very much owing to that commanding power of his mind, which holds all other minds in captivity, while within reach of his voice. He has no tricks of art and oratory, no studied gesticulations, no ranting, no pompous declamation. His eloquence is the mighty power of spirit, throwing out a rapid series of thoughts -explanatory, argumentative, brilliant, pathetic, or sublime-sometimes all these together. And the whole manner is simple, natural, grave, sometimes cool, often impetuous and ardent. He seems always to have a complete dominion over the subject on which he is dwelling, and over the subjects, on every side, to which he adverts for illustration. He has the same pre-eminent power in his ordinary conversation as in his preaching. What is best in the account, the power of religion is predominant over every other power in his mind. A devotional spirit is very conspicuous in his religious exercises, and is said, by those who know him best, to be the habitual character of his mind. I was in his company a number of times."-Vol. i. pp. 383, 384.

bate,-did you take any considerable interest in that huge contest? It was the most athletic strife that has occurred for many years past, in that St Stephen's prize-ring. We here read almost the entire of the four nights' debate, as given at vast length in the Times paper. We admired exceedingly the mighty power and promptitude of mind displayed by the great chiefs in the warfare. Plunkett's speech was a fine exhibition of large and commanding intellect; Tierney's, the happiest possible rally of keen exposure and satiric ridicule. For fierce, vengeful, and irresistible assault, Brougham stands forth the foremost man, I take it, in all this world. It is exquisitely gratifying to see how his javelins fly at the timeservers and the scoundrels.-Vol. ii. pp. 66, 67.

Himself a critic and an author, he enjoyed with keen relish the fresh, nervous, and buoyant spirit with which the Edinburgh Review burst upon the literary world, but with a becoming sense of the Gibbon-like venom which so often tainted its early pages:

"My having transferred my residence to a different house, together with a deluge of new entertainment rushing upon me in the form of the Edinburgh Review, and several other things, has made a deplorable chasm in my sentence-making for more than a month past. But I must and will be at it again from this day forward. I am quite ashamed to see how much the days are lengthened since I did any thing material to the business. It will not, however, be quite in vain to have read a large portion of this terrible Review; a work probably superior to every thing of the kind for the last century, every thing since Bayle's time. I read it with abhorrence of its tendency as to religion, but with admiration of every thing else. It cannot fail to have a very great effect on the literary world, by imperiously requiring a high style of intellectual performance, and setting the example. It is most wonderful how a parcel of young men have acquired such extensive and accurate knowledge, and

"Anderson (on easy terms with Hall for many years) will be far more of an intimate with him than any other man. He is a vastly acute and doggedly intellectual fellow, that Anderson, and is intrepid enough not to have the slightest fear of the great man. I stand greatly in awe of him, but shall sometimes venture within reach of his talons, which are certainly of the royal tiger kind.... He seems on the whole (for he has not escaped feelings of approaching infirmity, in addition to his old and invincible complaint) in a state of health to promise many years; years it may be hoped of great and peculiar usefulness-peculiar, inasmuch as he will draw under his influence a large portion of the most in-such a firm, disciplined, unjuvenile habit telligent part of the people about the place, especially of the class of young, inquisitive, educated folk, many of them apt to be proud or vain of their attainments, and liable to temptation on the side of Socinianism or scepticism.-Vol. ii. pp. 78, 79.

of thinking and composing. But I shall not be made to believe, that they have not an old fox or two among them. Yet they all admirably support the general level of able performance. The belleslettres critics seem to be stocked with logic as well as principles of taste, and His references to public characters are the scientific critics to be fraught with piquant and discriminating:satire as well as definitions. Either their "The late grand parliamentary de-modesty or their pride keeps them almost

clear of any direct attention to theology, | tions. But, in the winter of 1843, he but their incidental references are de- became affected with symptoms of pultestable and pernicious. It may not monary affection, which abated for seem very consistent after this to insist, that you must have this work, from the beginning, and so must or ought every other intellectual and literary man: he cannot pretend to have a competent library without it."-Vol. i. pp. 342, 343. In these extracts from Mr Foster's portraiture of himself, we have given our readers but a passing glance of the man, persuaded that all who have the opportunity will turn aside to contemplate for themselves this monument of sanctified genius.

DISCOURSES, DOCTRINAL and PRACTI-
CAL. By the Late Rev. JAMES JEF-
FREY, Greenock.
With a MEMOIR of
his Life.

Edinburgh William Oliphant and Sons. CIRCUMSTANCES of very touching interest are connected with the publication of these discourses. The author, as the reader will learn from Mr Brooks' well written memoir, was a young minister of the Relief Church, of superior talents, and in high estimation; whose general popularity as a preacher, and growing excellence as a minister and a man of God, afforded hope of a widely-extended usefulness. But ere he had reached his prime, the hand of sickness was on him, and, after a lingering struggle, brought him to his grave.

a time on his removing to the south of England; notwithstanding, as remarked by himself, "the sentence of death was within him;" and after various turns in the progress of his malady, he returned to Scotland, as it soon appeared, to be laid in the sepulchres of his fathers. The time of his decease is not mentioned; but highly gratifying memorials are afforded of the state of his mind during his illness and at his departure. His growth in grace was very discernible; indeed was such as to strike the attention of those who had the privilege of intercourse with him during the last months of his life. A long letter from the Rev. Mr Pitcairn of the Church of Scotland, a fellow invalid with Mr Jeffrey at Torquay, contains some beautiful reminiscences of his mind and character; but more beautifully and and tenderly affecting still, the last scene of his life as described in the words of her by whom he had so long been most assiduously nursed, and who was the witness of his dying struggle:

:

"The prevailing state of his mind during his illness was humble trust in his Saviour, though at times he laboured under harassing doubts and fears about his personal salvation. At these times, he feared that while preaching to others, he himself should be a castaway-while Mr Jeffrey was a native of Falkirk feeding the flock, he might have been himwas early sent to college, where he gave self a hireling; still, though suffering from indications of the activity and prompti- these doubts, he never seemed to let go tude of mind which afterwards distin- his hold of the Saviour;—Though he guished him. In consequence of his ex-slay me, yet will I trust in him,' was his treme youth, and his worthy father's often remark. doubts of his boy's inclination being "After referring, in one of his letters, duly turned to the ministry, Mr Jeffrey's to a severe attack of cough, he says: studies were interrupted for two years; These are terrible ordeals; independent but his thirst for academical education of the pain and weakness which they in no respect abating, he was returned to bring, they incapacitate me from turning college, and passed with credit through the to the great source of strength and comusual course. Mr Jeffrey's theological fort, and leave my mind quite a blank. studies were prosecuted under the su- But I trust that the gracious Lord will perintendence of the late Dr Thomson not desert me, and that he will comof Paisley, the highly respected professor pletely prepare me for my change.' of Divinity to the Synod of Relief. His God's will be done! I dare not say progress was such as to attract the fa- that my affliction is greater than I devourable notice of his tutor, who was serve. O that as nature sinks, grace known to have entertained good hopes may grow; and that as the ties of earth of his acceptance and usefulness as a are gradually giving way, those that preacher. Nor were these hopes disap- draw the heart towards heaven and God pointed. During a short incumbency at may be waxing stronger and stronger!' Musselburgh, and afterwards at Green- "Throughout his long-continued and ock, as colleague to the venerable Mr at times severe sufferings, he never murAuld, he ministered with much accep-mured or repined. He viewed them as tance to large and attached congrega- a chastisement sent by his Heavenly

Father, and often said they were less, | dreams partook of the same character much less than he deserved. He ac- as his waking thoughts. knowledged the hand of God in all that befell him, and the chastened and humbled tone of his conversation showed how much he profited by affliction.

"On the Friday immediately preceding his death, he enjoyed one of those brief periods of brightening up which frequently occur during the progress of this "From the time he went to Torquay, insidious disease; and the day being though sanguine in his hopes of being very fine, he ventured for a few minutes spared, at least a few years, he knew into his garden; after which he sat down that the disease under which he laboured and wrote a short communication to a would never be overcome, and might periodical. He then penned the followquickly cut him off. He therefore set ing touching dedication to a little work, himself zealously to prepare for his lat-containing an account of the last days of ter end. Often would he remark, 'I a beloved relative, in the preparation of must live, not by the month or the year; which he had for some time been enbut by the day and hour.' gaged: To the brothers and sisters of the dear departed this memoir is offered, as an expression of christian affection on the part of him by whom it is compiled, and for whom the time is near, when some friendly hand will do a similar service to himself.' This was the last time he had pen in hand.

"He often bitterly lamented that he had not preached the gospel with greater simplicity, and with a more single aim to the glory of God, in the conversion of sinners. Oh!' he would say, 'had I, when composing my sermons, thought less of the style of them, and more of promoting the honour of the Saviour, how much more they would have been blessed to the conversion of sinners.' When it was remarked that he was but the instrument-that Paul might plant, and Apollos water, but that God only could give the increase; he said, with much emphasis, 'Yes, true; but had I been more faithful, my own soul would have been more richly watered. Oh, should I ever be able to preach again, how differently would I feel, with the view I now have of eternity!'

"On his return home from Devonshire, when the truth was made known to him, that all hope of resuming his pulpit duties was at an end, he was almost overwhelmed; and, for a while, he scarcely could bow to the afflictive dispensation; but soon he was able to say,This was just the trial that was needed to bend my rebellious heart, and lay it low at the feet of the Saviour.'

66

"

Though gradually, but almost imperceptibly, getting weaker, no sudden change was visible, till Saturday afternoon, when it was evident he was decidedly worse. During the night, his pulse changed so much, that fears were entertained that he might not see the morning; but, by the aid of a little cordial, he gradually revived, and fell into a quiet slumber. When his medical attendant visited him in the morning, he at once saw that death was soon about to do his work. He received the intelligence very calmly—as a thing he had long expected; and only said, 'Do you think I may live a few days? I have some little things I would like to do.'

"From this time he began rapidly to sink. On asking him how he felt, he said, 'My mind is calm and composed.' Are you able to trust in the Saviour? 'Yes,' was his reply, 'I think I can see God-a reconciled God in Christ Jesus

ness. Oh! it is grace-grace-grace has done it.' He added, 'How suited is the Saviour to my every need! He is the God-man-the Fulfiller of all righteousness.' During the day, he said, 'I could like much to tell you some of my experience, but I cannot: my bodily trouble is so great I cannot speak.' On Mr Auld taking him by the hand, he warmly grasped it, and said, 'I am wearing away now-it will soon be over.' Mr A. having joined with him in prayer, he fervently repeated every passage of scripture along with him.

"It was evident from his conversa--working out in me a perfect righteoustion and letters, that the Holy Spirit was at work in his soul, gradually preparing him for his great change. He was now bringing forth, by means of sanctified affliction, the peaceable fruits of righteousness. Seldom was he seen without a devotional book in his hand; but especially was the Bible dear to him; and often was he heard to make the remark, 'Every time I now open the Bible, it seems to convey a special message to myself. Often was he observed in deep meditation on some important truth; and he seldom awoke, without either a prayer, a verse of scripture, or a line or two of a hymn on his lips. Even his

"A few minutes before his death his

wife beginning to repeat to him the pro

mises, 'Fear not, for I am with thee; | nions, yet amidst all his prolixity and

be not dismayed, for I am thy God.'operoseness, seldom lying open to "When thou passest through the waters, the caustic censure of winding up with I will be with thee; and through the the appropriate conclusion that "this is rivers, they shall not overflow thee;' not our concernment." With characterhe caught the first words, and distinctly istic fulness of matter, and much valurepeated both verses; and the warm able criticism, the present work has more pressure of the hand told how he felt of logic..1 compactness than some of the them. Then turning to her, and putting other pieces of the great Puritan divine. his arm round her, he breathed out, This reprint by Mr Ogle is accurate and 'Dear Elizabeth, I am dying now. I very complete. To the dissertation as commit my soul to God.' The fifth verse originally published, there is added the of the last hymn in the Assembly's Col- author's 66 Vindication of his views from lection, beginning, the objections of Richard Baxter." Though occasioned by the controversies of a former age, it is a book for all times, as handling questions of permanent interest, and bringing to bear on them more than common powers of learned and laborious investigation.