even two of them, the longer and the shorter-the shorter, had it been still shorter, longer than would have been wished. The longer a text, the greater the quantity of matter, for commentators and expositors to crawl over and cover with their slime. Yet, who ever heard of comments or expositions to either of these formularies?

To the Scottish Church this, however, is but the beginning of triumphs. As we advance, many are the points of difference that will present themselves and, on each point, will an addition be seen made to the number of her merits.

As to this formulary, whether, amidst the multitude of comments and expositions, with which, under different names, it has been covered, it has ever seen so much as one,-other than of that sort which commences with a secret vow, to keep the door of the mind inexorably shut against every idea, the effect of which might be to beget any the least suspicion, of imperfection in any shape, in the consecrated text,-is more than has happened to find its way to the cognizance of the author of these pages.

Upon the whole, the abundance of comments of the laudatory cast, coupled with the paucity, or utter non-existence, of any of an accusative, or so much as a critical complexion,-these two naturally connected phenomena present themselves as the altogether natural result of two very obvious

causes. Vast must have been the number of professional men, each of whom beheld advantage to himself in many a shape, from the merit of covering it with his praise:* small indeed, if any, of those, to whose eyes advantage can have presented itself in any shape, as capable of being derived by them from the exposure of any imperfection that might be to be found in it.

Of what benefit, either to the critic himself in any ordinary shape, or so much as to the public at large, in any measurable compass of time, could any such criticism afford a prospect of being productive? That, supposing the formulary ever so full of imperfections, and those imperfections ever so completely demonstrated, the removal of any so much as the minutest, particle of them by authority would ever be the consequence;-at what time could any such result present, to any intelligent mind any, the faintest colour of probability? And, as to the audacious individual, by whom any

* At school-well do I remember-the only danger I ever felt myself in of punishment, was from my inability to beat into my memory the words-for as to sense, it was out of the question -of a Comment, or Exposition of this formulary, by some Archbishop: his name began with a W, which is all I now recollect about this night-mare, by which my sleep was so long disturbed. I should expect to find it either Wake or Williams.

such imperfections should have been held up to view, from what quarter could he expect any return more acceptable, than neglect? To Church of Englandists he and his criticism would be objects of blind aversion,-to all but Church of Englandists, (but for some such awakening conjuncture as the present,) objects of indifference.

§ II. On Religion-in a Christian Free-School-the Bible the only fit Lesson-Book.

In the sort of school in question, the arts to be taught are besides Arithmetic, those of Reading and Writing. For furnishing lessons for this purpose, a book-one book at least is necessary. If one book alone, what shall this book be?If more books than one, to which of them shall the preference in the first place-be given ?

To both these questions one and the same answer may serve—the Bible.

On this occasion, as on every other, for proof of the position, which is advanced, the broader the ground is that is laid, the better: the broader the ground-in other words, the greater the number of the persons, at whose hands, by means of the proof, the position may reasonably be expected to obtain acceptance.

The Bible then-the Bible, were it only in consideration of its being that book which, in this

country, has, beyond comparison, more readers, as well as more hearers, than any other, might, even from this circumstance alone, be naturally regarded as presenting an indisputable claim to preference and precedence.

To the preference thus proposed, from any person by whom the religion of Jesus is believed in, could any such objection come? No, surely: -unless perhaps it were on account of the immature state of the intellectual faculties, at the time of life, at which, on a subject so fraught with mystery, instruction will, on the supposition in question, be endeavoured to be administered.

But assuredly, so long as, in the matter, of which the book in question is composed, a sufficient quantity can be found, of that which, with reference to the, mind in question, is sufficiently clear; so long, from the obscurity of any part not employed, no valid objection can be derived against the employment of any part of it, which, being clear, is employed accordingly.

Nor,-supposing the clouds, which hang over the import, whatever they may be, sooner or later dispelled,-will the existence of it,-howsoever, at the commencement of the course of instruction, and even for a considerable time thereafter unquestionable,-be, upon due reflection, found to constitute any sufficient objection to the employing of it to this purpose. For some time indeed; by the supposition, it is without being ac

companied by the ideas which they are meant to designate, that the signs present themselves to the conception, and lodge themselves in the memory. Be it so. But, at any rate, the signs are there: and, for the purpose of grammatical instruction,— which, in the order of time, is the first purpose,they serve as well as any others: thereupon, as the faculties of the mind acquire maturity, and the storehouse of the mind receives its stock, little by little, the desirable and desired ideas drop in and attach themselves to the signs.

In a place of instruction, designed, as are the schools in question, for children, to whom, in so large a proportion, but for the means thus afforded, instruction on religion would not in any shape whatever be afforded,—the reason for taking, for the source of instruction in reading and writing, that same book, which is the source of instruction in religion, operates with a degree of force far beyond any with which it can apply in another situation:— in any situation, in which, whether the means here in question were or were not employed, instruction in religion might reasonably be expected to flow in from other sources.

Thus much as to believers. And even the few in whose eyes either religion in general, or the religion of Jesus in particular, is not conducive, but prejudicial, to real happiness and useful morality, and by whom religious instruction is accord