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with which to pay his fees in Canada, are not only very seducing in prospect, but essentially contribute to lessen the first and severest difficulties of a new settler. Ultimately, however, I am disposed to think they are disadvantageous in the majority of instances; the New York settler having to begin to provide for rent and instalments (which, even under the alleviated pressure of his situation, it would require both self-denial and good management to save) at the very time when the Canadian settler is emerging from his greater difficulties, and deriving a liberal subsistence for his family from his own unburdeaed estate. I have been told, that very few persons under the former system ultimately maintain possession of their lands; but that, after supporting themselves and their families in greater or less abundance, they are compelled to abandon their improvements for arrears in rent or instalments, and, joining the forlorn hope on the frontiers, to repeat their laborious and interminable efforts to convert the wilderness into a fruitful field. In passing through the State of New York, I heard a great deal of the distress which at present exists from inability on the part of the emigrants to pay their rents and instalments, and of the hard names which the agents had to bear for proceeding to extremities. Still, however, an active, prudent man, would, under ordinary circumstances, succeed under the system, and probably as rapidly at least as in Canada; but it would require greater self-denial to impose the necessary severities on himself in New York, than to submit to them when unavoidable in Canada. -The general observations which I made concerning the classes to whom emigration to Canada would prove a real benefit, are equally applicable to emigration to the United States; but in a future letter I will endeavour to give you

some idea of what farmers, who bring with them a few thousand, instead of a few hundred, pounds, may expect to do in different parts of the United States. I will, at the same time, tell you all I can learn respecting Mr. Birkbeck's settlement.

I had not intended to confine this letter to such dry statistics; but it is too late to begin on any other subject.-James, I believe, is disposed to think, that he is better at home than in America; except in his present capacity, in a city where his wages might be ten pounds per annum higher than in England, and where his wife's services as a dress-maker, fine washer, &c. would be productive.

(To be continued.)

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. IT seems very desirable that the provision of an Act of Parliament, passed last session-to enable gentlemen who shall have taken a degree at Oxford, Cambridge, or Dublin, to be admitted as attorneys and solicitors, after a service of three instead of five years, with the grounds upon which it passedshould be made generally known, and particularly to the clergy, to whose children it may be of use. Youwill, perhaps, therefore have the kindness to state to your readers the outline and object of the Act.

The stat. 2 Geo. II. c. 23, prohibits any person from acting as an attorney or solicitor in any of our courts of law or equity, without a previous clerkship of five years. The object of the Act of last session is, to render any person eligible who shall have taken, or shall take, the degree of bachelor of arts in the university of Oxford, Cambridge, or Dublin, on serving a clerkship of three years instead of five; leaving the period of service in other cases the same as before. It is not intended

by this Act to make a university education necessary for solicitors, but merely to open a just and long-wanted facility to those who have had the benefit of such an education, and to whom a service of five years must operate almost as a prohibition. The effect will be to render a respectable and important profession more accessible to men of academical education, who were deterred by the length of service before required from attempting to enter into it; and it is conceived that it will particularly benefit the sons of many clergymen and others, who put themselves to great inconvenience to give their sons a liberal education.

But besides those who think that a liberal education is both an ornament and a substantial advantage to a solicitor, and with that view wish to send a son, designed for the law, to the university, there are many young men educated at the universities with objects in which, from unforeseen events, they are disappointed, who might embrace the profession, and find in it a fit sphere for the exercise of their abilities and industry, with advantage to the public and profit to themselves. In general, the degree of A. B. is taken between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-two, A A service of three years, commencing at these ages, may be borne without much inconvenience; and it would be rendered less irksome from the consideration, that a person cannot enter into the churchtill nearly the time at which such a clerkship would expire; but a service, which requires two years beyond the age of twenty-four or twenty-five, makes an inroad into a period of life which ought not to be spent, and which few are inclined to spend, in preparations for a profession. It is a season when men expect to be actually proceeding in that business of life for which their education has prepared them. Many persons, taking

the degree of A. B., will now probably consider the profession of a solicitor advantageous, and as affording an appropriate field for the exercise of their talents, since they can enter it without the sacrifice of time which the law, as it before stood, required from all, without distinction of education or age.

The measure cannot deteriorate the legal profession, or introduce persons less fitted to perform its duties. For clerks to solicitors are generally articled at sixteen or seventeen years of age, for five years; but there can be no doubt that a person, with those habits of industry and application which, from the strictuess of the examinations at our universities, are necessary to enable him to take a degree, is more likely to acquire a competent knowledge of the profession, and to become capable of conducting the business of a solicitor at twenty-four or twenty-five years of age, than a youth who, having served a clerkship of five years, commencing at sixteen or seventeen, begins business at the early age of twenty one or twenty-two.

In the case of persons designed for the bar, the distinction between an academical and a common education had been long recognized. Before a law student can be called to the bar, it is necessary that his name shall have been five years on the books of one of the Inns of Court, unless he shall have taken the degree of A. M. or LL. B. in one of the universities; in which case three years are sufficient. Now, if three years, with an university education, be considered an adequate period to qualify a man for the bar, surely a clerkship of three years, with a similar edu cation, must be sufficient for a solicitor.-It is almost superfluous to advert to the difference between the degrees of A. B. and A. M., as the former degree is the real criterion of academical proficiency.

A SOLICITOR.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

The Religion of Mankind. In a Series of Essays. By ROBERT BURNSIDE, A. M. London: Seeley. 1819. 2 Vols. 8vo.

THIS work has deserved, and, but for some circumstances beyond our controul, would have received from us an earlier notice. It is one of those religious labours in which our Dissenting brethren have vindicated their zeal in the cause of pure and undefiled practical religion; and have exerted a highly respectable share of industry and talent, for the promotion of the best interests of mankind. The work is indeed a high monument, both of the philanthropy and perseverance of the author; and contains, in two very thick and closely printed octavo volumes, the result of much thought, and even profound meditation, accumulated no doubt through many years of patient study and observant converse with his fellow-creatures. It is the rich out-pouring of a full mind and if the exuberant tide occasionally overflows its banks, and bears down the reader rather by the mass, than the concentration of its waters, it may still be made to answer the most valuable purposes. The work, in fact, is a depository from which the learner and the teacher may equally derive important advantages; and it will be our object, before we conclude, to point out the use that may be made of the stores of Mr. Burnside, by those who are responsible, under God, for the improvement of the souls of others, as well as of their own.

A considerable accumulation of cogent practical remark, founded upon Christian principles, we consider as constituting the merit of "the Religion of Mankind." We are better pleased with it in this view than as a regular and digested . CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 241.

work. It evidently bears the nature of a levy en masse, rather than of a well-disciplined army, ranged in battle-array, under distinct and orderly commanders. We shall feel it necessary to allude to the frequent want of method and distinctness, not only in the general arrangement of the work, but also, what is more to be regarded, in the conduct of particular arguments contained in it. The title itself does not altogether coincide with our ideas of close definition; such as the title to a work, if it pretends to any thing at all, should exhibit. On our first taking up "the Religion of Mankind," unacquainted with the author or his intentions, we thought we had to wade through some general discussion of religious principles, such as the liberalism of modern times would attribute to all mankind, under every modification of religious faith, whether as Deist or Christian; as worshippers of Jehovah, Jove, or Lord. Those, however, who from Mr. Burnside's title expect any such false liberality, will be much mistaken. Neither does the author mean to express by it those incorrect or, inadequate notions of religion, which, on account of their generality, might, with somewhat better reason, be denominated" the religion of mankind." The object of Mr. Burnside is, to shew the religion of mankind, not as it is, but as it ought to be, and according to the definition which he himself gives of it in his Introduction, where he makes it mean one, or both, of two rather different things; name. ly, either those general principles of religion, which, whether taught by reason and confirmed by revelation, or taught by revelation and confirmed by reason, ought to constitute the religion of mankind; or else simply Christianity itself, but, stripped of those point, on which

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pious men differ, and standing only in the nakedness of its essential principles, suited to the necessities of all mankind. This explanation of his title is at least as obscure and indefinite as the title itself. Nor can we think that the able work to which it is prefixed needed the adjunct of any paradoxical or ambiguous title to give it currency. Such technicalities in the outset could not, indeed, but be a detriment to a work embracing so very wide a range; being, in truth, a Series of Essays, illustrative of the entire grounds of Christian practice, and demonstrative of their agreement, when fully developed, with the dictates of plain reason and common sense. All the reasonings from daily experience, the analogies of human life, the arts of reproof, of tender expostulation or friendly counsel, are within the compass of such a work, and are embraced with no mean felicity and address, in the pages of Mr. Burnside. His language, in the development of his ideas, is for the most part clear, copious, and even nervous, though sometimes encumbered; and the author illustrates his multiform subjects with a variety of figures and allusions often very agreeable and well chosen.

The course of argument pursued by Mr. Burnside, required more explanation than he has given in his introduction; and perhaps, if he had simply denominated his work, with Mr. Locke, the Reasonableness of Christianity, and then thoroughly explained the grounds on which he intended to. demonstrate its reasonableness, he might have helped the general effect better than by engaging his reader, at the outset, in an unnecessary discussion of a title. His object seems to be three fold, in reference to three several classes of mankind; the unbeliever, or pagan the nominal Christian-and the true one. He presents himself indiscriminately to all, clad in the panoply of the Christian faith. To the infidel he is not backward to

prescribe the belief of the Scriptures; to the nominal Christian, their practice; and to the real believer, the mode by which both way be strengthened and improved. To the unbeliever he speaks of the various convictions of reason and conscience, which are to be found in the world, independently of revelation, and these he brings in confirmation of the doctrines of Scripture. To such persons he says, in substance, So many and strong are the opinions and feelings which you must admit, whether you admit the Scriptures or not, that you have no reason left for the rejection of revelation; more especially when an irrefragable body of external evidence is offered in its support. To the nominal recipient of the Scriptures, be advances a step by shewing the extent of the religion he embraces, when he embraces that of the Scriptures; a religion, indeed, far purer and more extensive than he could have been tauglit by the conjectures of reason or the dictates of natural conscience, but yet in itself highly reasonable, as a whole, and most reasonably demanding to be consistently pursued. Lastly, to the labouring and aspiring Christian he points out those methods by which his object may be most fully attained, and by which he may make those advances in religion which, by the use of proper methods, are alike within the reach of all mankind.

These several classes will find in the present useful volumes abundant matter for serious meditation. We can scarcely tell to which they more eminently apply; and if each class would attentively weigh the judicious observations, the forcible appeals, the warm invitations, and awful admonitions which they contain, none could rise from them otherwise than impressed at least, and we should hope convinced, converted, or improved, by the author's arguments.

That Mr. Burnside has, in fact, attempted something like an arrangement of his subject, with a

view to meet the several classes of persons above described, will appear from the following passage; ia which also occurs something like a confession of the imperfection of his arrangement.

This religion I wish to illustrate and apply in a Series of Essays, which, though apparently detached, are yet connected with each other. The first four are preliminary; for without the establishment of the positions which they contain, religion could have neither importance nor even existence. In a considerable number of those that follow, my object is to explode the false ideas of piety which are too prevalent in the world. The next class of them contains a reply to the many plausible excuses that are made for the want of personal religion. Afterwards, directions and encouragements are given to those who are solicitons concerning their eternal welfare. The concluding ones -are addressed to the truly pious, according to the various relations and circum. stances in which they may be placed. Such are the general purposes of the . arrangement, though it is possible that the Essays may not always follow cach - other in exact order." Vol. I. pp. vii, viii.

But it is time that we should turn from these too protracted remarks on the structure of the work to the work itself. The first four Essays exhibit a connected series on one subject, properly considered as fundamental to all religious practice; namely, the reality of a future state - the nature of that state-the danger of future misery and the attainableness of future felicity. In placing the doctrine of a future life at the threshold of his work, Mr. Burnside follows the example of Bishop Butler, in his Analogy: and though it is true that the nature and attributes of God, and the duties of man, might have been revealed without a distinct reference to futurity, as Bishop Warburton and others have strongly contended was the case in the Jewish code; and though, on the other hand, a future life is by no means the only fundamental article in the "reli

gion of mankind;" yet we cannot disagree with any arrangement that places this doctrine foremost; since an entire practical conviction of a future immortality, if rightly traced out into its consequences and applied to the heart and conscience, must carry with it many of those practical effects which it is the object of Christian moralists to produce.

In the first of these Essays, the evidence of the future state is collected both from the "almost universal sentiment of mankind," which cannot reasonably be accounted for by collusion or imposture; and from the sacred Scriptures (allowing them to be true), which place it in various lights, and prove it An addition beyond all denial. is there spoken of as made by the Scriptures to the doctrine of the resurrection, as surmised by natural reason-namely, that there shall be a resurrection of the body as well as of the soul; and this, again, is supported by an appeal to reason and the analogy of nature. The doctrine of a separate state is then hinted at, both as a doctrine of Scripture and quite agreeable to reason and feeling. And the Essay concludes with the various impressions produced on the minds of men by a partial, as well as those which might be produced by a full, contemplation of the subject.

We think there is a needless refinement in this Essay, in alluding to the Scriptures rather as a book deserving attention than as demanding belief. Surely the whole weight of their testimony to a future state depends upon their being inspired: or at least, if we strengthen the argument for their authority by extracting from them a doctrine which agrees with the common sense of mankind, we must not turn again and assert the agreeableness of the doctrine to common sense upon the authority of the Sacred Volume. This would be arguing in a circle, without coming nearer the truth.

The present and three following

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