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hour, when the last trumpet should sound and the judgement be set. His people at his request assembled and waited, but not with the full confidence of their pastor, the dread event. He ascended the pulpit before the predicted hour, and sat in silent and solemn expectation. But the hour passed, and with it his faith in the fulfilment of his prediction. He was greatly surprised and no doubt chagrined at its failure, but being a conscientious, though credulous man, he acknowledged he had been mistaken, and quietly returned with his flock, who still respected him, to his accustomed duties.

That these delusions were not confined to the uneducated, and to weak enthusiasts or, as might be imagined, to ambitious impostors, is evident from many examples besides those advanced. There is little doubt that Luther himself, though too wise to admit the fanciful interpretations by which such minds as Stiefel's were deluded, believed, that the end of the world was very near at hand.* This opinion was common with the Reformers. They attached great importance to their own labours in regenerating the church, and thus hastening the "times of the restitution of all things." Among the discoveries of the period it was found, "that the art of printing was the horse in the Revelations, on which the word of God rode." Some of them also adopted the literal interpretation of the Millenium, or of the personal reign of Christ upon the earth for a thousand years.†

It

* In proof that this was Luther's persuasion, many passages have been cited from his works; and the following, says the writer to whom we have referred, "may be taken as decisive evidence. His most cherished friend, Melancthon, was a believer in astrology, and having cast the nativity of Charles Vth, had found he would live to his eighty fourth year. 'Nay,' said Dr. Luther, ‘that cannot be. Ezekiel is against that: the world standeth not so long.' And even after the misfortune of poor Stiefel, so late as 1536, he said, we have got along in the Revelation as far as the white horse; and the world cannot stand much longer.'

The passage, on which is founded the doctrine of the Millenium is Revelation xx. 1-6. "Upon this promised Millenium, or reign of the saints, much," says Woodhouse on the Apocalypse," has been written, yet little that can afford satisfaction to the judicious. The meaning of a prophecy of this kind can only be made manifest by the event, which is to fulfil it. Before that time shall arrive, it is unsafe to conjecture after what method it shall be fulfilled; whether as some prophecies, literally, or as others, typically. It is better, therefore, after the wise example of Irenæus respecting another prophecy, to wait the completion of the prediction."

The difficulties attending a literal interpretation of this prophecy are stated by Dr. Whitby in his elaborate Treatise on the Millenium; and more briefly by Lowman in his Notes on the Revelation.

was in this same belief, that even Milton, the pride of England, the prince of her poets, partaking in the religious fervors of the times of the Commonwealth, and sincerely believing what Cromwell only professed, breaks out in raptures as he anticipates the changes that were at hand, and invokes Jehovah "as the eternal and shortly expected king."

Neither were such expectations, and the alarms or the hopes with which according to the temperament or character of the individual they were attended, peculiar to the times that are gone. Examples not a few might be mentioned in our own days. Many of our readers will remember the writings of the Rev. George Stanley Faber, of the University of Oxford. All the learning and research of this ingenious divine did not save him from that vicious and delusive practice, common to enthusiasts, of applying ancient predictions to passing and undeveloped events. He could see in the French Revolution and the changes that followed it in the states of Europe, the very things intended by Daniel in his visions and by St. John in his Revelation; and it was probably the effect of such works as Faber's "Dissertation on the Seven Vials," and still more 66 on the 1260 years," that gave the impulse to a spirit of conjecture, we may not say prophecy, that was awakened among ourselves some thirty years since, and filled multitudes with the belief, that the end of all things was at hand. A well meaning divine in the western part of Massachusetts first gave form and date to the annunciation, and the delusion was extensively propagated through New England.

We find, still later, a professor of astronomy at Bologna predicting that the world would come to an end on the 18th of July, 1816. But it were endless to detail the examples of the past, and we have neither limits nor inclination to descend to the present, or to prove what is sufficiently apparent, the delusion into which those have invariably been led, who have attempted to interpret prophecy by passing events; or to declare what it is not given to man to know. No prophecy of Scripture, we are taught, "is of private interpretation;" not of human

* In one of his more recent works, Faber expresses some distrust of former conjectures, and wisely says, "what time will expose, ere the beast recovers from his present depression, we have no specific documents to determine." By the beast, be understands Bonaparte and the French Empire, as they were in 1813, and thinks it "probable, that several years will pass, ere his strength will be renewed for the last great exertion!"

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device, but of Divine original; not to be interpreted, therefore, by individual fancy or vague conjecture, but only, we repeat, by the event which is to fulfil it. We may waste our lives in theories, and fill our hearts with fears or hopes that have no profit, while he, with whom one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years are as one day" still keeps the times and seasons in his own power. How vain is it to speculate about the end of the world, which after all our predictions may last for centuries, and forget that before tomorrow we ourselves may have ceased to have any portion in it. The best preparation for death is the faithful fulfilment of the duties of life. It is not in fearful lookings for of judgement alone that we shall be found ready for the judgement day; but to work the work of him that sent us, to live soberly, righteously, and piously, and in patient welldoing to wait the appearance of Christ Jesus-this is acceptable with God.

That much remains to be done before ancient prophecy is completed, whoever reads may understand. That the world will continue, and generations succeed after we have left it, we may be assured. How long, or how many, this shall be, is with the secret things that belong to God, "whose glory it is to conceal a matter," and whose wisdom and kindness are displayed alike in what he has revealed and in what he has hidden. Only "the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children," that we may do them.

F. P.

FEMALE AUTHORSHIP.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "THREE EXPERIMENTS OF LIVING."

THERE are many now living, who remember the period when an American authoress was looked upon as a curiosity. This class of writers, however, has increased so much among us, that it no longer excites any wonder, though to the honour of our chivalric nation be it spoken, it calls forth much indulgence. It is a privileged class, and is seldom judged by the rigid rules of criticism, the desire of doing good or affording innocent amusement often covering a multitude of faults. It is well that it should be so, for few women are educated to

become authors; they have the faculty of "pouring forth their thoughts like water," and if it is pure and refreshing, it would be unwise to check the current by severe criticism. The press, it is true, is said to be the guardian of classical composition, but there is little danger that the works of authoresses will become standard works, and still less that any deficiency in accuracy of language should be a sanction to more profound writers. The protection and aid which are given to females in this country if they chance to travel alone has been a subject of reprobation, at least to one European traveller, as evincing a disposition on the part of the men to claim a decided superiority over the weaker sex. We thank her for this tribute to our generous-hearted countrymen, and it is just. The best seat in the stage-coach is given to a lonely woman, and whether she is young or old, handsome or ugly, her comfort in storm, rain or sunshine is considered, in preference to their own. This is not confined to what are called educated and polished men; it is the spirit of this portion of our country, and does not show itself in idle courtesy, but in essential kindness. The same feeling leads to a candid judgement of female writers, and it is undoubtedly owing to this forbearance that they have so greatly increased, and no longer appear like solitary guide-posts at long intervals of space, with the melancholy feeling of being pointed at, instead of pointing out the way; they no longer stand aside on the highroad, but now mingle with society, and are expected to look and dress much like other people, and it is not very uncommon to find book and belle united.

We ought, however, to recollect with gratitude the authoresses who acted as pioneers, and have produced this happy state of literary freedom in our new world; who by leading the way have enabled their countrywomen to prattle as freely on paper, as they have always done in a drawing-room. We first mention Mrs. Warren, Mrs. Morton and Mrs. Murray; then comes she, whose name is recorded as "the first tenant of Mount Auburn," Hannah Adams. Blessings on those who have thus distinguished her unassuming merit! who have given to her remains a home in the green earth among trees, plants, and flowers. We rejoice that year after year, with the first coming of spring, and the sunsetting glory of autumn, we may read her name inscribed on the simple marble monument, and while we recollect her child-like simplicity and truth, remember " that of suc is the kingdom of heaven."

There is one authoress of much earlier date than those mentioned, who we think is not generally known. Anna Dudley was the daughter of Thomas Dudley, the first Deputy-Governor in this Colony. In Winthrop's History of New England we find an honourable notice of her by the editor, who designates her "as the most distinguished of the early matrons of our land by her literary labours." She was married to Simon Bradstreet, in England, came to Salem with him in 1630, and resided there. He was twice elected Governor. She had eight children and died in 1672.* After her death her husband married a second time.-A volume of her poems is still extant, and some specimens of her composition may not be uninteresting, written more than two hundred years ago.

"The Four Ages of Man" is the title of one of her hood is thus described :--

poems.

"Childhood was cloth'd in white and green, to show
His spring was intermixed with some snow,
Upon his head nature a garland set,

Of primrose, daisy, and the violet.

Such cold pale flowers the spring puts forth betime,
Before the sun hath thoroughly heat the clime.
His hobby striding, did not ride, but run,
And in his hand an hour-glass new begun."

Child

Her model was the famous French poet of that period, Du Bartas, and the first piece is addressed to her by a friend, in which the writer states that Mercury showed Apollo Du Bartas's works, and Minerva presented Anna's, desiring him to

"Tell, uprightly, which did which excel;

He view'd and view'd, and vow'd he could not tell."

After much examination they came to the conclusion, that the authoress was "a right Du Bartas girl," and had equalled her model.

Though there is much of the strained and unnatural conceit of the day, and she often outstrips her model in defects, there are rich poetic thoughts interspersed.

It is pleasant to observe how faithful nature is in every age to her own laws. The true atmosphere of woman is affection; her " Elegy

* Rev. Dr. Channing is a lineal descendant of this lady; she was the great grandmother of his mother.

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