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tude and delight that I acknowledge how much I have been. reassured and comforted by your kind communication.

My dear sir, you may think all this extravagant, but it can be accounted for. You are, in one sense, the child of my anxious efforts to consolidate and Christianize you. I have not the vanity to think that I began the work; but the work has made progress since I knew you, and I have conceived a deep interest in all its steps. I do not know one single dispensation that would more imbitter my heart than that the work should retrograde. I would feel all the grief of a bereaved parent; it would spread a sad desolation over my spirits; it would be the cruelest of all violence to my affections for one, whom I trust I shall long hold sweet counsel with on earth, and rejoice with in heaven. Such is the state of my feelings toward you, and I hope that it both explains and apologizes for my extreme watchfulness over you-a watchfulness which I have sometimes feared you would dislike as obtrusive, and suspicious, and troublesome. O, my dearest of all earthly associates, had the happiness of our meeting been without alloy, it would have been too much for earth; but the malignant tempter, whose power you so firmly recognize, has thrown a mixture of bitterness into it; he has tried to turn the whole to anguish by raising before my fancy the glowing image of your apostasy. Your kind epistle has cleared it. away, and I now enjoy a precious interval of repose. All is hushed and tranquilized within me, and I now write from the fullness of a heart which feels no fear and harbors no suspicion. Yours ever, THOMAS CHALMERS.

No. XVIII.-MR. THOMAS SMITH TO DR. CHALMERS. GLASGOW, 9th January, 1816. MY DEAR SIR-I received your letter of yesterday's date, and though I expect to meet you to-morrow, I shall take this method of answering a question proposed in it, which I see has arisen from a most stupid, confused note of mine of the 5th current.

I made a general determination at the beginning of this year strictly to examine the state of my mind. I did sofound it so far below my expectation, that it affected my spirits so much as to make me give up the examination, and thus to transgress my determination or resolution. This, as far as I can make out, is what my note of the 5th would say, but seems ashamed, as no doubt there is reason to be, of the avowal.

You may be thinking that I shall thus be diverted from my attempt. But this is not the case, for I have since resumed my review, and am at present going on successfully with it.

What I would desire at present is to know what are the errors which I am most likely to fall into, and to apply myself to the business of their extermination one by one. When this is accomplished, I shall cultivate the virtues which ought to exist in their stead, and the bringing these virtues to perfection will form the business of a whole life, and at its close, though the comfort of having succeeded in the attempt will not be enjoyed, yet the consolation of having seriously made the trial will supply its stead. There is nothing I so much delight in as in the idea of a character refined and ennobled by a whole life's attention to the business. Such a character would, in all probability, enjoy more happiness and peace of mind than any attainments in science could afford. It is a discouraging fact, however, that there is not one in thousands who can boast such a treasure the road to it is exceedingly unfavorable to those who have only for a short time traveled on it, and to people surrounded by others of different opinions about the reward to be attained, or who pursue a quite contrary course, the temptations to deviate are innumerable. Man, by his own strength, can not conquer them; but, by dependence on another's, he undoubtedly can, and may realize a finer and purer mind than the ancients ever thought of. From the knowledge of Cowper, which his life and writings give, I think he had attained this character; but it is not in a man who is well known to the public, and whose writings

are made with the view of pleasing them—nor in any public character whose life is handed down to us-that I would be inclined to expect these virtues, but rather in private characters, who are only known to a few around them, and by whose example the world in general are never benefited.

But, my dear sir, I must earnestly beg of you to excuse all the deficiencies of my last week's correspondence. Most of my letters were written in the evening when I was very tired, and all of them hurriedly. It was with a view to obtain answers in return, and in compliance to your request, that they were sent to you. Amid all my faults, I shall always be yours most affectionately,

THOMAS SMITH.

No. XIX.-MR. THOMAS SMITH TO DR. CHALMERS.

GLASGOW, 20th January, 1816.

MY DEAR SIR-I do not intend in this letter to say any thing, either on one side or the other, regarding assemblies for dancing the subject of our late conversations. I think it better that you should begin the subject, and that I attend you as you prosecute it, and unreservedly give you any objections which may remain with me after the perusal of your letters. And of this freedom of remark I request you will allow me the unlimited use; for should I be only half convinced of the danger of attending these parties, if it turns out they are dangerous, it might be a matter of afterthought and deliberation whether the restriction had been properly adopted; and on a tempting invitation being presented, more reasons might appear in favor of the restrictions being injudicious. Thus swayed, I might overturn all my more impartial thoughts on the subject, and commence imperceptibly the business of underrnining a proper system of self-denial, which I intend shall be considerately and judiciously planned, and as resolutely and perseveringly adhered to. A few days ago we talked of the frankness which ought to subsist among friends; and I think you were disposed to blame me for a want of it. If I possess a reserved temper, I am equally insensible of it as of

many of my other faults; and in our written correspondence, I hope you will soon perceive that all reserve is banished, and that you receive my sentiments upon any subject which comes in our way exactly as they exist, and to the whole extent of their existence. I sometimes am disposed to be very silent in our conversations, and this most probably has given the appearance of reserve to my conduct; but this silence is of a very different origin indeed, and I blame you for its existence.

Our regular weekly correspondence, I think, will be productive of much advantage. One thing has just now occurred to me which well demonstrates this: Should I, when in some unguarded time, be induced to think favorably of any amusement which we have in a proper season examined and condemned, from the mere circumstance of having your reasons stated in writing to recur to, I shall examine what formerly caused me to renounce the favorite object, and the result of the examination will be to set me right and establish me in the path chalked out. I am, my dear sir, yours with much affection, THOMAS SMITH.

No. XX.-DR. CHALMERS TO MR. THOMAS SMITH.

20th January, 1816. MY DEAR SIR-In answer to your much esteemed note of this day, I have to observe that I do not mean at present to enter into the question of assemblies for dancing, but shall satisfy myself with a few prefatory remarks. I am quite assured that, if you saw it to be against your Christian interest, you would surrender every one inducement you have at present to attend them, and keep studiously and determinedly away from them altogether. I am further assured that, could I prove it to be as much your duty to keep away from them, did they expose these interests to the hazard, though not to the certainty of being injured, you would be as obedient to the second demonstration of duty as to the first.

In a word, I presume (and it is with the most unfeigned

pleasure, and a heart filled with affection, that I can declare, from all that I have observed in you, how I look on the presumption as one of the surest and strongest I ever conceived on any subject) that, should you see it to be your duty, either on the first ground or on the second, to refrain from going to assemblies, you would not hesitate a single moment to put the principle of forsaking all into effect, and bring your habit of general carefulness to offend in no point whatever`to bear on this one point which we have now selected for consideration.

And now, my dear sir, there is even at this stage of the business a way in which this great initiatory principle of the Christian life may be put into exercise. As you would forsake all in the way of shunning what you knew to be sinful, so you may be in readiness to forsake all whenever what is more doubtful shall be proved to be sinful. In this state of readiness, which it is competent for you at this moment to put on, you will, I am persuaded, resolve against, and strive against, and pray against all partiality and all hypocrisy it will be the language of your heart, "Lord, teach me thy way, that I may walk in it." Cleanse Thou me from the secret fault of all unfair leaning, and all willful self-deceit. Let me clearly see thy will and hear thy voice; and here I am in the attitude of a servant to obey thy orders, and be found at the post thou art pleased to assign to me. It is my business, also, to be most careful in this matter: woe be unto me if I willfully mislead you. It is my prayer, my dearest of all earthly friends, that much comfort and direction may be given to us in this correspondence. It may strike out much of what we are not at present anticipating. It may branch into many a devious but important track of inquiry; and I trust that, walking together as friends over the field of Divine truth, we shall end our every excursion with some new spoils of heavenly doctrine to enrich, and comfort, and adorn us. May God prosper us in this enterprise; may He smile propitious on our every attempt to find out His will for our salvation; and may

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