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stooping to write will ruin their chests; and working will make them round-shouldered. If the boys run, they will have fevers; if they jump, they will sprain their ancles; if they play at cricket, a blow may kill them; if they swim, they will be drowned; the shallowness of the stream is no argument of safety."

Celebs was soon translated into foreign languages, particularly French and German, so that this delightfully moral tale was as much read on the European continent and in North America as in England. Here indeed it was turned into ridicule by a volume bearing the title of "Nubilia in search of a Husband." This was the production of one of those literary vermin who live by fastening themselves upon authors of reputation, and, having no merit of their own, endeavour to force their way by caricaturing excellencies which they have neither taste to appreciate nor talent to copy.

In 1811, and the following year, Mrs. More favoured the world with two very valuable treatises, closely connected with each other in subject. The first, enitled "Practical Piety; or, the Influence of the Religion of the Heart on the Conduct of Life." The second," Christian Morals."

In the prefaces to these works, affecting allusions are made to the situation under which they were written, and more especially to the deaths, in almost quick succession, of the three sisters between Hannah the eldest and Martha the youngest.

The preface to the "Christian Morals" was intended as a literary farewell to the public, in a grateful acknowledgment for a long continuance of patronage; and an apology for another appearance in the world as an instructor.

But though apparently Mrs. More now took a final leave of the press, which she had for so many years employed, honourably to herself and beneficially to the world, her active mind still laboured with delight in the momentous cause to which her talents had uniformly been devoted.

The declaration of her Saviour was made the rule of her conduct; and by his grace she found her intellectual strength increase, as her bodily frame gave signs of decay. In 1815 she published one of the ablest of her performances, "An Essay on the Character and Writings of St. Paul."

This work is neither biographical nor critical, but purely practical, exhibiting in the conduct of the great apostle of the Gentiles all the attractive and imitable beauty of the Christian life. The controversies to which the epistles have given rise, the author of the essay cautiously avoids; nor

does she meddle with any of those dark passages which another inspired writer has described as "hard to be understood." The object sought to be established is the edification and encouragement of the reader by delineating the brightest example of human perfection upon record.

It was about this period of her life that the following pleasing account was related by an American gentleman, who visited Barley Wood with some friends:

"The cottage, as it is called, though covered with thatch, is exceedingly neat and tasteful; and both within and without wears all the appearance of simple elegance. It occupies a situation on the gentle declivity of an eminence, and commands a view of the village of Wrington, a short distance below, and a richly variegated country with an extensive horizon. The selection of this spot, the plan of the cottage, and the arrangement of the grounds, are due to the ingenuity and talent of the two sisters, and reflect the highest credit upon their taste and judgment. In the short conversation we had with Martha More, before her sister joined us, the former spoke much of the latter, and appeared as much interested in the reputation of her works, and as highly to enjoy their celebrity, as the author herself could do. The latter soon came in, and took us by the hand with great ease and urbanity. A table was placed in the middle of the room, around which we all seated ourselves and, as I was introduced to them as an American, the conversation turned upon that quarter of the globe. The charitable and religious institutions of our country were inquired after by Hannah with the zeal of one who feels a lively concern for the good of mankind in every part of the world. She shewed us a letter she had received from a deaf and dumb child of Dr. C. of Hartford, Connecticut, accompanied by an explanatory letter from the worthy principal of the institution, in that town, for the instruction of the deaf and dumb. The letters had given her much pleasure. The cause of Bible societies she has much at heart; and is decidedly opposed, though a firm churchwoman, to the restrictive principles advocated by some of the mitred heads of the establishment. She had just given a notable demonstration of her zeal in this cause. The anniversary of the auxiliary society of the neighbourhood was held last week, and she and her sister gave a dinner and a tea entertainment to the whole company. There were 103 persons who partook of the dinner, and no less than 300 that drank tea. As many as the cottage would hold were accommodated in it; and the rest

were served upon the lawn around it. Among them were thirty-seven clergymen, and the bishop of Gloucester. Notwithstanding her advanced age, and her having endured many attacks of disease, she went yesterday twenty-two miles to attend a Sunday-school. Her constitution, (or, as she termed it, her muscular powers,) she said, was very strong, for it had carried her, with the blessing of Providence, through the assaults of twenty mortal diseases. The village at the foot of the hill contains an old Gothic church, and provides all the facilities of mere neighbourhod at a convenient distance. The house is large enough for all the purposes of domestic comfort and hospitality. The walls of the sitting-room below are ornamented with the portraits of their most distinguished friends. On our attention being turned to them, the characters of the individuals, and particularly their most valuable qualities, were adverted to by Hannah More, with a warmth and energy which proved that age had not diminished the force of her early recollections, nor the ardour of her affection. Among these favourites I noticed the likeness of William Wilberforce, Elizabeth Carter, Richard Reynolds, and John Henderson, the celebrated youthful genius of Bristol. In one corner of the room was a picture, which had been sent her from Geneva. It was a descriptive scene from one of the most interesting passages of Colebs-Lucilla in the attitude of prayer at the bedside of her poor sick neighbour. Her bedchamber contained her library, which I should estimate at least at a thousand volumes. She shewed us a letter from a Russian princess, written with her own hand in broken English, solely to acknowledge the satisfaction and benefit which the works of Hannah More had afforded her. We were satisfied too with seeing a translation of Colebs in the German language, and a splendidly bound copy of it in French, sent to her as presents from the Continent. Industry is, doubtless, one of the habitual virtues of these worthy sisters. Besides the numerous literary productions of the elder, and the extensive charitable offices in which they are engaged, every thing within and about the cottage-the furniture, the needle-work, the flowersbears the impression of taste and activity. "We left Barley Wood, with feelings of much satisfaction from the visit. Mine was not diminished by carrying with me a present of a copy of "Christian Morals" from the hands of the author, given as a memorandum of the visit, and in which she wrote my name in an excellent hand, without spectacles. It is rare, indeed, to find so

much vivacity of manners at so advanced a period of life, as these ladies possess. They are fond of a country life. Hannah remarked to us, that the only natural pleasures which remained to her in their full force, were the love of the country and of flowers."

On the 14th of September, 1819, Hannah More lost her sister Martha at the age of sixty-seven. She had been for several years a great but patient sufferer by a disease of the liver, which terminated in an inflammation of that organ. She bore a distinguished part in the various “works of faith and labours of love" planned by her sister; and while the latter was exerting her powers in the composition of her inestimable writings, Martha watched over her health with the most tender solicitude.

Unfeigned christian humility, a strong mental susceptibility, an ardent love to her king and country, and a devoted attachment to the established church, were the predominant characteristics of this truly pious by the poor, to whom she was a generous woman. Her death was sincerely lamented benefactress; and so generally was she esteemed, that funeral sermons were preached after the funeral by several of the neighbouring clergy.

Under this bereavement, Mrs. Hannah More, who was now in a state of decrepitude from repeated attacks of the rheumatism and a complication of other disorders, quitted Barley Wood for a neat house in Clarence-Place, Clifton, where and at Bristol, she had some valuable friends, though not a single relative of whom she had any knowledge in the world. Still, the energies of her mind continued unabated, and soon Sketches," being a series of moral portraits after her last removal she printed "Modern drawn from real life. Most of these had appeared, from time to time, in the early volumes of the "Christian Observer," together with others which the writer afterwards transferred in a more lively form to the pages of Cœlebs.

of Mrs. More terminated; but though adWith this publication, the literary history tality, and rendered incapable of moving vanced beyond the ordinary period of morfrom one room to another without assistance, acuteness of judgment when she had numshe preserved her strength of mind and bered more than fourscore years. In proof of this, one of her particular friends has related the following fact :-" As much stress was laid on the preponderance of INTELLECT in favour of an important political measure of 1829, the Catholic Relief Bill, it may not be irrelevant to say that Mrs.

More took the opposite side. In a conversation with the writer, which he must ever remember with grateful pleasure, she spoke her sentiments on that point with the most unhesitating decision, and condemned in the most emphatic language, the principal of expediency apart from religion. Her politics, like all her speculative opinions, steadily kept eternity in view. Her standard of truth and of wisdom, for nations as for individuals, was THE DIVINE WILL, which few, through grace, have more clearly understood, more distinctly developed, or more consistently explained."

At length the time was come when this aged disciple must be called to that world for which from her youth upwards, through the long course of near fourscore years and ten, she had been in habitual preparation. As the sun went down upon her useful life, and eternity opened to her view, she was still enabled by sovereign grace to bear a faithful testimony to the truths which she had in so many publications explained and defended.

In the last awful hour she spoke of her state of mind and prospects with the calm piety of a humble and penitent believer in Jesus Christ, assuring a friend that she reposed her hopes of salvation entirely on His merits alone, and expressing at the same time a firm and joyful affiance on His unchangeable promises. In this happy frame she continued till Tuesday, the 7th of September, when the disfranchised spirit passed out of time into eternity.

On the 13th, the funeral took place with due solemnity, and amidst a numerous assemblage of mourners, both rich and poor, young and old, at Wrington, where, on the Sunday following, a sermon commemorating the virtues of the deceased, was preached by the reverend Henry Thompson, M.A., of St. John's College, Cambridge, and curate of that parish. This sermon has been since printed, with the title of "The Christian an Example."

EUROPE IN THE AUTUMN OF 1833.

THE expected meeting of the sovereigns who compose the holy alliance has taken place. The existence of a new treaty, uniting or intending to unite, these three despotic potentates, viz. the emperors of Russia and Austria, and the king of Prussia, has been doubted, but is now firmly believed. A member of the Greek church, a member of the Roman church, and a member of the Presbyterian church, form a holy alliance. Passing strange, that such dis

cordant materials should thus amalgamate! Whatever are their creeds, their politics are strictly in unison; and they have become one, in order to perpetuate despotism and crush liberalism. Already have they issued mandates to the minor, and even to some major states, calling upon them to discountenance all representative communities; especially those which, now in embryo, may at no distant period come forth, and take rank among the nations. Will Great Britain and France succumb to their dictum ? We trow not.

France, England, Holland, and Belgium, having laid aside those hostile demonstrations which prevented the usual amicable intercourse amongst them, have thus given the promise of peace between Belgium and Holland: but the same spirit which divided these nations still prevails, and throws obstacle after obstacle in the way of re-union and concord. Happily for Europe, this awful feud, which at one time hung, like the murky threat of an autumnal storm, portending devastation to its fairest provinces, has blown over without a wreck to mark its course. The King of Holland and the King of Belgium have severally made a speech, each enough unintelligible, on the opening of their respective sessions of representatives; and, if we can gather any thing from them, it is that they desire peace yet they each come to the conclusion that 66 is distant. peace brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city."

A

France progresses steadily, and, in spite of the envious clamour without, and the republican excitement within her domains, adheres to the constitution established by the last revolution. Conscious of her own strength, France defies the potentates of Europe; yet she wisely holds fast her alliance with that government which is most congenial to her own, viz. Great Britain, and refrains from all interference with the other powers. The unions of artisans, in all the populous places, are carried to a greater length in France than even in England; and they threaten serious ruptures of the peace in both countries.

Great Britain is tranquil, and her commerce, however much extended, is yet extending. The great national act, viz. that of abolishing slavery, has passed her legislature. Thus is the death of slavery finally decreed--a few convulsive struggles, and it must yield its breath-even now we behold it as a dead carcase. The great and potent company which has long swayed over the millions of the East Indies, has, after great modifications, by

the legislature of Britain, renewed its chartered existence, and, thus delegated, reigns over realms equal in extent and popula. tion to the ancient Roman empire. The Bank of England has also renewed its charter; and thus are the great leading interests of this mighty empire, whose colonies and whose commerce embrace the whole earth, settled upon a foundation of hope for years to come. The sister kingdom, excited to madness by the incessant agitations of restless demagogues, presents the same turbulent attitude which has so long distorted her noble frame. The habitations of cruelty are, alas, multiplied within her domains; and she moans her sorrows to every breeze. The persecuting dictum of intolerant popery breathes incessantly upon her, and, instead of the meekness of the gospel of Jesus, the fury of Apollyon overwhelms her. Alas for Ireland-that fine country! when shall she know peace and rest?

In Portugal, the expedition of Don Pedro, under his Admiral, Napier, and his General, Villa Flor, to Algarva, eventually took Lisbon, and even raised the seige of Oporto. Marshal Bourmount, after fruitlessly wasting the troops of Don Miguel, in what he called reconnoisances, but which others denominated, properly enough, assaults upon Oporto, was compelled to break up his camp before that city, and march off, in order to retake the capital, which the concentration of all Don Miguel's forces around Oporto had left utterly defenceless, and thus a prey to his enemy. The marshal's movements were, however deferred to a period when they were totally inefficacious. Baffled in all his assaults upon Lisbon, and cut off from his resources, Don Miguel was soon compelled to raise the siege, and, as a shelter from the armies of his brother, retreat into Santarem. In that city, in his turn, Don Miguel is besieged by the troops of Donna Maria, who, on her arrival in Lisbon, was proclaimed with great pomp, Queen of Portugal. The affairs of Portugal are, however, by no means settled, but there is every prospect of protracted warfare and guerilla massacres. Oporto has again been attacked, although without success, and 7,000 regular Miguelite troops menace that city and Villa Nova. A body of Miguelites have also crossed the Tagus, defeated the Pedroites, and advanced upon St. Ubes: but their progress has been arrested by the judicious arrangements of Admiral Napier.

The death of King Ferdinand has plunged Spain into disorders of the most

frightful cast, the major part of which are ascribed to the alteration he caused to be made in the order of succession, a short time previous to his decease, whereby his daughter Donna Isabella was proclaimed, immediately upon his death, queen, to the exclusion of Don Carlos, his brother, and rightful heir, according to the ancient law of Spain. On the instalment of Donna Isabella, Don Carlos issued a proclamation, and subsequently another, dated October 12th, at Santarem in Portugal, wherein he claims the crown of Spain by hereditary right, and calls upon all Spaniards to obey him as their lawful sovereign. Multitudes, accordingly, have everywhere throughout Spain espoused his cause, and a civil war, with ferocious atrocities, has spread, or is spreading, throughout all the provinces. Battles have already been fought, castles and cities taken, and amidst villages, and in the open country, massacres made, whereby every man's hand is turned against his fellow, and the whole kingdom is becoming one mass of confusion and bloodshed.

Switzerland presents no new feature to the eye of research. If the affairs of this motley country are settled or settling down into concord, we congratulate Europe on one union of Protestants and Catholics in peace. Italy has gathered in her harvest, and trodden her wine-press, without the turbulent interruption of marching armies, or the roaring of besieging artillery: but that she enjoys peace cannot by any means be asserted. No, the smouldered fire yet burns, and the wafting of the smallest breeze will arouse it into a blaze that will destroy. Rome, it appears, is confederated with Russia against liberalism; and after subscribing largely to a force, to put this down throughout the Italian estates, rumour asserts that the Pope has recently sent from Rome a number of priests on secret missions into Spain and Portugal.

Greece is passing through another ordeal. The turbulent disposition of many of her princes, nurtured amidst rapine and civil commotions, ever and anon breaks out into excesses which menace the existence of the German prince who governs that state, and his foreign bands. But he governs with a steady hand; and, like the lofty promontory above the ocean, rolls back the foaming billows which assail his state, into the mass of waters from whence they arose. Colocotroni, of whom we hoped better things, is involved in those rebellious outrages, and likely to suffer. In the mean time, a strong Bavarian force is forming, in order to reinforce the army of Greece,

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