seasonable work. The subject is coolly and candidly examined; every fair allowance is made for the advocates of the stage, and, so far as I can see, their arguments are brought forward with the entire force that belongs to them. In controversial publications this is a circumstance which seldom happens; although I think it to be as inexpedient as it is unjust to act otherwise. Mr. Fox, I remember to have heard, excelled greatly in this respect. He was famous for putting the argument of an adversary in a clearer and more forcible way, than the adversary himself had done: And then the more decisive and complete was the work of demolition.

"Your friend seems to me to be a clear, terse, and forcible reasoner; and, with reasoning people, his arguments can scarcely fail to have considerable weight. The first page, as in Irving, appears to me to be rather hard, and thus far unfortunate, since people are very apt to take their opinion of a book from the impression made by the first few sentences."

After several suggestions on the structure and plan of the work, Dr. Dealtry concludes by saying.-"Perhaps a few reflections on Mason's Elfrida and Caractacus,' Gambold's Ignatius," and even on Addison's 'Cato,' as dramas,-some of them not tolerated at all on the stage, and the last, I suppose, not popular, -might illustrate and confirm his positions. But an author is the best judge for himself.

"W. DEALTRY."

The following are the brief remarks of the Rev. Thomas Jackson:

"MY DEAR BROTHER,

"London, Jan. 31st, 1824.

"I AM greatly obliged to you for your excellent book on the Stage. I have read it with great delight; and have no hesitation in saying, that it is the best book on the subject I ever met with. The language is beautiful, and the argumentation powerful and convincing,

"Some fine young men, whom I have known since my coming to this place, the sons of Methodist parents, have gone from the theatre to the brothel, and from thence to their graves. Do take some means to get your book immediately published, and brought into general circulation: It is greatly needed, and the title is a good one: It will attract attention.

The whole of Mr. M'Nicoll's sermons having been published on particular occasions, and generally in the form of separate pamphlets, afforded an opportunity for the expression of opinion on their respective merits. On two of these sermons,-the one preached at Leeds, to improve the death of the Princess Charlotte, and the other at Sunderland, on occasion of the death of George III. designated "Divine Providence Illustrated in the Ordination of Political Government," we are happy in having the means of presenting the opinion of two very able judges, Dr. Bunting and the late Rev. Richard Watson: The former of whom writes thus :

"MY DEAR BROTHER,

"Lambeth, Jan. 27th, 1818.

"I AVAIL myself of the return of Mr. I. to Leeds, to thank you for the present of your 'Sermon on the Death of the Princess Charlotte of Wales.' I have read it with much satisfaction; and certainly think it one among the very best discourses which I have had the opportunity of perusing on that melancholy subject. It does you credit, and is honourable to the Body of which you are a member.

"The copies for the reviewers have been delivered. But as most of them have already noticed, at some length, the publications of this class, I fear, you must not expect much notice from them.

"My dear Brother, affectionately yours,
"JABEZ BUNTING."

The subjoined is Mr. Watson's sentiments respecting the other sermon :—

"MY DEAR SIR,

"London, June 22nd, 1820.
'Sermon on the Death of the

"I THANK YOu for your King;' on which, however, I am more incompetent to give an opinion than you are pleased to suppose. But, though I am no critic, I can say, as is common, I know what pleases me, and I have perused it with much pleasure. It was wisely determined, in my judgment, by you, to make use of the occasion to promote a useful purpose, rather than occupy the hour in useless and common-place panegyric; and especially as the state of the times needed the exhibition of the doctrines which your able sermon contains.

"Perhaps, in my views of subjection to civil government, I go

a step farther than you; and yet I should not have been disposed publicly to put the case more strongly than you have done, lest, by overshooting, I should miss the mark: And I am aware, that the question of resistance is a very difficult one. It is an extreme case only, at best, which will warrant it; and it is not well to go too near the point.

"Your main principles are unquestionably irrefragable, if the Scriptures be true; and the manner in which you state them, the course of clear and ingenuous argument you pursue, and the lightings-up of a true eloquence which occur, and in their proper places too, I much admire. The sermon must do good to all who attentively read it; and as for the mawkish sentiment,—that a Christian minister has nothing to do with politics,—it is just as senseless as if it were said, 'He has nothing to do with any of the relative duties.' With party-politics he ought not to meddle in the pulpit; but with Christian politics his conscience and his duty charge him.

Those who transmit their sentiments to posterity in the form of writing, afford a perpetual standard of judgment respecting their mental and moral character much more certain and accurate than any biographical representation. In this case the qualities of a man's mind receive a visible and living type. Though the writings of Mr. M'Nicoll are not numerous, yet they are extremely characteristic, and those who had the happiness of his familiar acquaintance will at once perceive the perfect resemblance between the mental machine and the faithfulness of the impression. Besides the productions of his pen already referred to, he at different times published two or three additional sermons, with other pieces in prose and poetry. Instead, however, of entering into any detailed account, it may suffice to offer a few remarks on the general character of his writings.

Copiousness is one of the most prominent features of Mr. M'Nicoll's style. This will be found to arise out of two causes; namely, the extension of the basis of his argument, and variety of illustration. The sermon on "the glorious Changes which the dying Saint is destined to experience,” will fully indicate what is meant by this remark. The argument of this discourse embraces all the changes which take

place in the saint, as referred to in Scripture, from the moment he quits the probationary state. The reasoning on death, hades, the judgment, the union of the body and soul, at the resurrection, and eternal blessedness, will be found to enter most profoundly into all these questions, and to contain many difficult speculations. In traversing these great fields of revelation, we perceive him balancing himself along the extreme edge of the utmost boundary of the revelation, like a man walking on the summit of an alpine glacier. Indeed, it may be questioned whether on some points of his course he does not adventure into the terra incognita, which lies in boundless expanse and sublimity, where man in his present state never enters, and the light of revelation but dimly shines. It is the mark of a superior, penetrating, and lofty mind, to be enabled to take up the principles of scriptural truth, and then to carry them forward to all their just and legitimate consequences; but it is equally a sign of true wisdom to know when to pause, It was in Mr. M'Nicoll's nature to penetrate deeply and to soar loftily. While this quality indicates great original powers, when dissevered from sobriety of judgment and an unbending deference to the authority of the word of God, it becomes somewhat dangerous to its possessor. This danger consists, amongst other things, in running religion into theory. Now, religion cannot be proposed as a theory to men, without greatly weakening its Divine authority. It is propounded to us in the Sacred Oracles, not as a mental amusement, a splendid speculation, or as the mere germ of truth to be followed out by human reason, but as a message from God, commanding acquiescence, by the most awful penalties. On the whole, this sermon is a wonderful effort of genius, and must-if we are not greatly mistaken-be one day classed amongst the finest specimens of reason and eloquence combined.

Without the technicalities of argument, all the productions of Mr. M'Nicoll's pen are full of a subtle ratiocination; not an independent reason set up as a demi-god, to which even the light and authority of revelation were called to do homage. It was his practice rather to argue from and out of revela-, tion, than to attempt to cause it to succumb to his reason Or, perhaps, it would be still more correct to say, that his great delight seemed to be, to trace the agreement betwixt the reason of God, as developed in revelation, and the truth

and character of nature, and the enlightened and unbiassed dictates of that faculty in man. But, irrespective of the subject on which it was exercised, the quality itself is very obvious. Nothing with him is assumed, nothing taken for granted. This, it must be supposed, arose out of the subjects which he undertook to elucidate. Had he engaged to write on many theological topics, and to enforce numerous points of religious experience and duty, it is not at all likely that he would have adopted the argumentative style, but rather have pressed them on the attention and consciences of his auditors by an exegetical and hortatory address.

But even the choice of subjects for discussion is indicative of the bent of an author's mind; and if, instead of dilating on common topics, with a free, easy, and flowing eloquence, he chooses themes which are abstruse, and which, consequently, oblige him to adopt a course of difficult argumentation, this shows that he is most at home in that exercise of his faculties. Mr. M'Nicoll being a poet, and full of imagination, as well as a logician, his argument often ornamented by even a pressure of illustration, he is not always, to some minds, very palpable and easy of comprehension. Hence we know a lady who, determining to fathom his "Argument for the Bible," employed on it the number of perfection, and actually read it seven times. She then declared that she had surmounted all difficulties, could enter fully into his meaning, and understood him well. Excellences are sometimes embarrassing; and it is, perhaps, on the whole, a misfortune that an argumentative mind should possess an exuberance of fancy, or too copious a vocabulary. But one of the causes of trouble to our fair friend was, in all probability, the circumstance that Mr. M'Nicoll's "Argument," though it contains many clear illustrations, yet does not fully complete and finish the author's design. Like "Saturday Evening," and other writings by the author of the "Natural History of Enthusiasm," it is full of beautiful germs of thought and valuable suggestions, but it sadly taxes the reader in the employment of his own resources, judgment, and reason, in following out the suggestion to its result. Works of this kind, however, are of great value; and the treatise to which our remarks are applied will be a lasting monument of great skill in the management of an abstruse and difficult argument. The same observations are applicable to the "Sermon on the Death of George III." Very perplexing