had arrived to considerable advancement before turage, which would include al the deluge; and one cannot look at the build- as shepherd, cow-herd, swine-he ing of Babel without a conviction that it must It will not be insisted on, tha have been through the great patriarchs whovians were in some measure lived in the old world, so much knowledge was means to communicate their id obtained as to erect a tower, whose summit or hieroglyphics, though traditi should reach the clouds. For, it is not likely or two in scripture, might sup that the builders would, of their own intuitive tion. With respect to poetry, genius, be equal to the task which they were Lamech and his wives is evide evidently not inspired by heaven to perform. and is most probably the oldes As for Metallurgy-this useful invention Hebrew poetry extant; but w shows the degree of perfection to which the written before or after the flood antediluvians had attained by the application though the probability is, that of their genius. The capability of working in those existing documents whi brass and in iron, clearly demonstrates pro- cribed by Moses into his collecti gressive improvement; and, as in the instance In looking over the evidences of music, the adaptation of first principles pro- passage, we have thought it to duced skill in the performance on stringed and duced from the theogony of Eg wind instruments, so the first artificer in brass duced by Moses, in his history pursued a similar course, until the nature and fluence of divine inspiration, for management of iron ore was developed. proving to that nation and othe the Hebrews were connected, the descendants of one commo clear that several theogonies about the period when Moses of Sanchoniathon was invente the purpose of discrediting Mos confusing it, and claiming a pri of antiquity to all the rest of the author has not only perverted the method just hinted at, but flood altogether. The Scriptu not without witness, for Berost gives a clear account of the f other matters relating to the p With regard to Agriculture, there is no doubt, that the antediluvians were well acquainted with it; man was made to dress and till the earth; Cain was a husbandman; Noah became a husbandman and planted a vineyard after the flood; he also knew the method of fermenting the juice of the grape, for it is said "he drank of the wine," which produced inebriation. This knowledge, I apprehend, he obtained anterior to the destruction of the old world, and that it was derived to him from his progenitors. There seems to have been a notion, which of old prevailed, that the antediluvian world was under a curse, and that the earth was very barren: hence the ancient my. thologists refer the commencement of all plenty, as well as of happiness in life, to the era of the deluge. This notion is much confirmed by Lamech's speech on the birth of Noah, which speech though generally applied to a prophetic announcement of what would take place in the days of his son, who was to be father of a new world, yet, literally understood, must certainly refer to the unfruitfulness of the soil, which required labour and toil to cultivate it, and which sterility having become greater than at the fall, in consequence of the marriage of the sons of Seth with the daughters of Cain, on whose account the earth was again cursed, stimulated all the ingenuity of its inhabitants; and therefore induced considerable proficiency in the knowledge and practice of agriculture. Pasturage is an occupation coeval with the creation of man. Adam had dominion over the cattle-Cain was a husbandman, which would include both agriculture and pasturage the same might be said of Noah-Abel seems to have been exclusively occupied as a keeper of sheep. From the character of the early postdiluvian patriarchs, and their method of wandering from place to place, there is reason to believe that pasturage occupied so much of their attention as to form their almost exclusive employment. The golden age of the heathen world was said to be under the government of shepherd kings; and hence it may be supposed, the world before the flood followed a similar occupation. We had almost overlooked "T-L Touching the manufacture was the first of those who dwel Noah adopted the same kind of also, when he had too freely ta of his vineyard, his sons cove garment; but whether these skins of beasts or of cloth, is no Right of property was recog sacred-Abel had his flock-Ca Jabal possessed cattle. The tyranny of men seems to hav of this law, among other thi speaking of false Christians, say gone in the way of Cain, and ru the error of Balaam for rewar in the gainsaying of Corah." of other men's goods and fame, in the possession of what was Providence, is here spoken of and more expressly in the sul of the same Apostle, where n hard speeches against God a specified. Hence, perhaps, the Noah, under God, after the fi earth among his descendants, violence which had previously duced such calamitous consequ We conceive the form of gov ages before the flood, to have theocracy. God himself, who sence protected and encourage his absence chastised and cursed was of this latter description rightly judged it to be a treme deed, to be driven out from t the former character, some of the finest examples of piety on record are mentioned in the sacred page. Abel, the first martyr-Enoch, who walked with God-and Noah, who found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and was seen righteous before him. These are they who lead the van in that wonderful catalogue of the saints, recorded in the 11th chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. The dispensation of grace after the fall, was a covenant, in which the Lord promised to bruise the serpent's head; that is, destroy the works of the devil (1 John iii. 8): and by this promise was intimated the salvation of men by some mighty Saviour, who should be born of a woman. The requisitions under which the antediluvians enjoyed this promise, were-repentance for sin, and a sincere return to the obedience of God, humbly trusting in his mercy through faith. The ordinances annexed to this covenant, were sacrifice for sin and the observance of the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. It is almost certain that Adam and Eve offered sacrifice on their receiving the first promise, for the Lord clothed them with the skin of a beast: the term is in the singular number in the original, and rendered thus, it is highly typical of the one offering, which in process of time was to put away sin. It is further to be observed, that at the time when Adam and Eve were in Paradise, they required not the flesh of beasts for food, since they do not appear to have eaten of any thing before their removal from Eden, beyond "the fruit of every tree bearing seed." Abel offered of the firstlings of his flock, not as some have imagined, the milk only with the cream thereof, but a lamb or kid with the fat thereof. Noah also sacrificed on his egress from the ark. The distinction of clean and unclean beasts would lead to the supposition, that the levitical dispensation was by no means new, when laid down in code by Moses. The Sabbath was first instituted by God himself, and was doubtless kept sacred by that part of the antediluvian world which lived in his fear. This may be gathered from the history of Noah, who was honoured with the presence of God in a more particular manner on the seventh day. On the seventh day, Noah and his family entered the ark, and several other matters are mentioned as having occurred on the seventh day, as the sending out of the raven and the dove. Public worship seems to have been practised in the antediluvian ages, if that sentence, "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord," be so understood; and that is the opinion of some who paraphrase the passage, "Then began men to dedicate themselves to the Lord in on open and public manner, professing themselves to be his servants." Marriage "that mysterious law, True source of human offspring, by which Founded in reason. loval inst and -the better arrangement of society in fami and separate communities-the security states, in preventing the emigration of n from their offspring and habitations, and encouragement of industry, are wisely said be some of the beneficial effects promoted this honourable institution-and a deviat from the principles which ought to constit the union of man and wife, have at all tin produced consequences of a nature in eve respect the reverse. Where the union of t kind souls is found, whose mutual love is bou together, and kept alive by friendship and fear of God, there it is presumed may be d covered, on the one hand, that subjection, "t ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, of gre price in the sight of God;" and, on the oth that rule alone which is expressed in honou display of affection, in every mode of comfo ing and keeping the object governed, by eve that can be honourably attained. The ma riage of the sons of Seth with the daughters Cain, appears to have been prohibited, sin the consequence foreseen was, that contamin tion of mind in the family of Seth, so fully e pressed in that short passage, "every imagin tion of the thoughts of man's heart was on evil continually." This sin I conceive to hav been one of the grand causes of the flood; fo if the family of Seth had remained pure an obedient to God, he would have saved th world for their sake; as he would Sodom an Gomorrah, if there had been found ten right eous persons therein; and as he would his ow people, the Jews, if they had not intermarrie among the nations which surrounded them Polygamy was known among the antediluvians but most likely it was unlawful: for if mor than one wife had been necessary for a man the Lord would have created more than one woman for Adam. We have thus briefly gone through the sub ject; and shall not tire the reader's patience by further observations on this interesting his tory, of which so little notice has been taken, except it be to draw his attention to that comfortable reflection, which arises out of the contemplation of the destruction by which the old world was visited, that the Lord careth for the righteous, and he saved Noah and his family, though he destroyed all the world besides. We ought also to notice the solemn warning which was given to the wicked, who would not that God should rule them; and we are warned by their fate, that there will be a day of judgment, when this earth shall be consumed with fire; and he shall come in the greatness of his majesty, taking vengeance on all them who called not on his name, and trusted not in him. From the Winter's Wreath. THE DEI IVED Who shall resist His might, Who marshals for the fight The proud Sultana of the Str down Earthquake and thunder, hurricane and Her jewelled neck and her embat He looked in wrath from high Upon their vast array; Passed like a dream away. Such power defends the mansions of the just; But like a city without walls, The grandeur of the mortal falls The miscreants, as they rais Saw each portentous star Whose fiery aspect turned of yo The iron chariots of the Canaani Gird its bright harness for a dea Beneath Thy withering l Scattered on earth the crescent Who glories in his strength, and makes not God Through the proud armies of the his trust. and spire, The Christian altars and the Augustan throne. The princedoms of Almayne In humbler waves shall vassal Tiber roll; Her laurelled tresses shorn, Shall feel our iron in her inmost soul. As the curling smoke wreaths fly But not for vaunt or threat Of guilty pride and power Full on the eircumcised Thy vengeance fell. Then the fields were heaped with dead, Then the streams with gore were red, And every bird of prey, and every beast From wood and cavern thronged to Thy great feast. Faint was each heart, unnery Their efforts were as vain Then backward falls agai With a crash of wild dismay Their ten thousand ranks Fast they broke and fast the Trampled, mangled, dying, Horse and horseman mingle Till the mountains of the sl Raised the valleys to the pl Be all the glory to Thy name di The swords were ours; the arm thine. Therefore, to Thee, beneath w wait The powers which erring man and Fate, To Thee who hast laid lo The pride of Europe's foe And taught Byzantium's sullen I pour my spirit out In a triumphant shout, And call all ages and all lands t Thou who evermore endure Loftiest, mightiest, wisest, Thou whose will destroys o Dread of tyrants, hope of sl The wreath of glory is from And the red sword of victor There where exulting Dan From that tremendous fie Unholy summons pealed, Pure shrines and temples no Decked for a worship worth To Thee thy whole creation With mystic sympathy its p The air, the earth, the se The day shines forth with 1 There is a smile upon the s An anthem on the breeze. Glory, they cry, to Him wh Hath turned the barbarous Whose arm protects with p The city of Ĥba favoured lis But if Thy rescued church Let one kind shepherd rule one undivided He is the victor, only He Who reaps the fruits of victory; We conquered once in vain When foamed the Ionian waves with gore With wrecks and Moslem slain. Shall the twice vanquished foe Shall Europe's sword be hung to rust in peace? Of the triumphant Franks Oh God! for one short moment raise The Christian sword behind. Sons of perdition, speed your flight. The warriors of the West. Fast, fast, beyond what mortal tongue can Or mortal fancy dream He rushes on his prey: From the British Critic. 1. Speeches delivered at two different Cathal 3. Hindooism in Ireland! or, a Succinct 4. Authentic Report of the Speeches and P 5. The Ninth Report of the Commissioners Lo 6. A Charge delivered at the Visitation We have given a list of six articles, each which has a direct connexion with the refo mation now in progress in Ireland; and co sidering the actual magnitude, and the pr bable extension of that extraordinary mov ment of religion as subjects of the most seriou interest to this yet Protestant empire, we sha first offer some observations concerning thes of the reformation itself. articles, and then proceed to the consideratio phlets, published one ten, the other nine year The two first articles in our list are pam ago, containing discussions of the circum stances of the Roman Catholic Church, as i then existed in the county of Cavan, but mor especially an account of a meeting held by the laity of that church in the year 1817, in which they very strongly expressed their opinion of its corrupted state. Though this meeting does not appear to have had any direct result another meeting, proposed in the last resolution to be held in July of the following year, not having been assembled, the two pamphlets form an interesting record of the abuses at that time prevailing among the Roman Catholics of the county, in which the new reformation has had its commencement. The third article is a little tract, particularly interesting, as it describes a superstitious pilgrimage established in the same county, subsequently to the meeting just mentioned; but eight years before the commencement of the reformation. Of these three works we shall have occasion to speak hereafter. ing held in the town of Cavan, for forming a The fourth article is the Report of a meetsociety for supporting the reformation begun in that place. This little tract it is impossible to peruse, without receiving deep impressions of the Christian zeal and holy eloquence of the men who addressed the meeting, or without at the same time conceiving the most lively interest in the cause in which they are enca cos out the forms, and the officers, time the alternative of delegating other persons to appear for them in the discussion. Number 2, contains a statement by these prelates, alleging corrupt motives as the causes of the conversions. Number 3, contains the affidavits of the individuals named by the prelates We now proceed to the fifth in their statement, as agents in corrupt maThi nagement of the conversions, denying these is the concluding Report of the Irish Education Inquiry. allegations; one of the affidavits is sworn by a closes the actual failure of the p Roman Catholic. Number 4, contains three several statements contradicting the allegations been the object of the formation of the prelates, one by the Protestant congre- mittee, a failure acknowledged rent testimony of all the membe gation of Cavan, another by the Protestant inhabitants, and a third by the officiating clergy-mittee, while two of the five men. Number 5, contains an account of an intelligent, but bigoted Roman Catholic, of a very humble class, who travelled from a place in the county of Derry, about fifty miles distant, to inquire into the sincerity of the conversions of Cavan, and returned completely convinced that they were real, and that no undue influence had been exercised. Number 6, contains an address to the Roman Catholics of the county of Cavan in particular, and of Ireland in general, informing them of an invitation sent in vain to the prelates, proposing that the truth of the grievous charges, contained in their statement, should be investigated in a meeting composed equally of Roman Catholics and Protestants. Number 7, contains an additional list of conversions. We have read this tract with a profound interest, and with the most sincere respect, especially for Lord Farnham, the president of the society formed on this occasion, and also for the nine gentlemen, who with the clergy compose the committee. We feel ourselves, however, bound in sincerity to say, that we entertain a doubt of the expediency of such a society. We are indeed perfectly convinced of the purity of the motives actuating the noble president and the committee. We can easily believe, that converts must be exposed to much and severe persecution, and must require often a vigorous interposition for the protection of their persons and properties. But we are much inclined to the opinion, that whatever protection may be necessary beyond the general security afforded by the law, might be more usefully afforded by the zeal of individuals, than by the collective proceedings of any association. It is natural, no doubt, that in every undertaking, in which we are heartily engaged, we should seek the co-operation of others. Societies are accordingly formed with advantage for the joint prosecution of almost every purpose, which can be generally interesting. But religion is essentially the feeling of the individual; and though man is bound to unite with his fellow-creatures, in offering to their common God the tribute of joint and public adoration, yet his conduct, in a religious view, is still his own, and will be more simple and pure, as he shall act singly for himself. There are indeed purposes even of a religious nature, which require the formation of societies, because they demand considerable funds, and de concurrent services of many individuals. have thought it their duty to It would, however, be an err When the commissioners pr mor may now be discerned |