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of conduct, then the language of a
testamentary clause may stand
thus; "Item, I give and bequeath,
to my fourth son, Thomas, the sum
of 5,000l. which he will most pro-
bably waste in dissipation, as he has
already wasted the like sum during
my life time; and by so doing, rob-
bed his sober and industrious bro-
thers, to each of whom I neverthe-
less give and bequeath 5,000l. also;
though, without their assistance, I
could not have given my son Tho-
mas more than 3,000l."-Should
any libertine resent the posthu-
mous expression of his father's dis-
pleasure, every one but himself.
and such as he, will confess the jus-
tice of the punishment. But should
the libertine afterwards become a
penitent, he will then be the first
to own the righteousness of his fa-
ther's conduct, and say, "I indeed
justly; for I receive the due reward
of my deeds." The moral construc-
tion of a will would emphatically
shew the natural fruit of sin; for
as "godliness hath promise of the
life that now is," so depravity
has an innate tendency to ruin our
present, as well as our eternal,
happiness. The penitent prodigal
confessed, that his career of riot had
obliterated the claims of nature,
"I am no more worthy to be called
thy son!"

If no respect be had to difference went directly to a stranger: which income, or half of which income, should surely have gone to the wife; and after her death, the capital, with a better grace at least, might have been thrown to the stranger. I was sorry to learn, that the testator had left very considerable legacies to two clergymen, solely, as expressed, " for their works" sake;"-not indeed sorry that they were legatees, for I most sincerely wish them success, and blessings far beyond what they have ever received, but because so strange a will seemed to shew the inconsistency and confasion of its maker's religious tenets. I do not presume to judge him. There might be very solid reasons for his conduct. But I know where it is written, " husbands, love your wives even as Christ loved the church." We know also, that "a man may give all his goods to feed the poor," and yet be "nothing." It is one thing to enrich a Missionary or a Bible Society; another, to" seek not our own.' During the reign of Popery in this island, many persons tried to conciliate Heaven by founding alms-houses, hospitals, and colleges, bearing their names, styles, and titles, and also their effigies, over portals and cloisters. Protestants are in some danger of substituting for these Gothic distinctions, the more fashionable one of standing high in subscription lists: but the approach to their temple of fame is defended by the morimain Act, and other formidable fortifications.

3. Strange injustice, and even want of natural feeling, has, in some instances, been manifested, by the melancholy and revolting vanity of keeping up families and names, so as to exclude the claims of wives and near. relatives. An example occurs to me at this moment, of a gentleman who bequeathed up wards of 100,000l. to a man whom he never knew, or knew very, slightly, merely because he happened to have the same name. The testator's widow was left with only one thousand a year, and even that an annuity! In, this case I need not say, that 5,000l. a year that the proceeds of the timber were panctually demanded by the Jews.

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Persons calling themselves serious Christians, in contradistinc tion to the bulk of mankind, should remember, that to themselves, when overtaken by old age, as well as to their coevals in the world at large, may be applied

"In life's last scene, what prodigies sur prise!

Fears of the brave, and follies of the wise!"

They also, while they shew the greatness, shew also the littleness, of our degraded nature. Positive

ness, suspicion, hardness, caprice, or features of conduct resembling these, sometimes characterize the declining years of those who have lived in an evident state of preparation for eternity. Such reason have we, not to "glory in man!"-The following lines, from Johnson's Va Bity of Human Wishes, are connected with my general subject, and claim the attention of all who expect to survive their grand climacteric. It is indeed wise to "remember the days of darkness. for they are many."

"Year chases year, decay pursues decay,
Sull drops some joy from with'ring life away;
New forms arise, and diff'rent views engage,
Superfluous lags the veteran on the stage.
Now everlasting dictates crowd his tongue,
Perversely grave, or positively wrong.
The still returning tale, and lingering jest,
Perplex the fawning niece, and pamper'd

guest;

While growing hopes scarce awe the gath'ring

sneer,

And scarce a legacy can bribe to hear.
The watchful guests still hint the last offence,
The daughter's petulance, the son's expense;
Improve his heady rage, with treach'rous
skill,

And mould his passions till they make his will."

-I will now retire from this digression, to state the incurable injus tice effected by the will described at my outset.

You will bear in mind, Mr. G's perfect knowledge of the circumstances of his family; but which was not suffered to operate upon the provisions of his will. Add to this, that this instrument was made in January 1795; but not in force till the close of 1801. Thus, there was an interval of nearly seven years, daring which, not a single codicil was subjoined; although the state of the family required, that the original bequests should have been altered in correspondence to altered circumstances, even if the will itself had been constructed on the principles suggested in this paper. For example; as William's capital had received such considerable increase, and as Louisa's health demanded CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 112.

more largely whatever alleviations money could purchase, it was equit able, that William should expect a share of his 10,000l. to be deducted in Louisa's favour. But no such thing. Now mark the consequence, The father died. Louisa's health still declined. The interest of her fortune was every year of less value. Her only alternative was to buy an annuity. By so doing, she contrived to travel on to the grave; without even the satisfac tion of leaving a few legacies. She deeply regretted this; but there was no remedy. Jane and Maria, to whom her fortune at this moment would be peculiarly acceptable, have uo token of her remembrance, except, perhaps, a few rings and broaches.

To all this it will be asked by inconsiderate persons, why did not the live together? Or, why did not Lou single sisters club their fortunes and isa reside with one of her brothers? with fifty questions of the same kind; not one of which would be asked, if I had given the secret history of the family. But let the inquirer give a glance at the actual state of society; where he would soon see, that in an unknown variety of instances, there does not, and will not, exist such family union as will smooth away the roughnesses perpetually occasioned, not merely by the division of property, but by misapprehension, or opinionativeness; by infirmity, or pure selfishness. The question is, why there is no prospective remedy for the contingent distresses of domestic life, formally provided in testamentary acts? In the matter under discussion, instead of apologizing for an avoidable evil,-not merely avoidable, but essentially unjust,-we must apply the axe to the root of the system itself. We must overturn the principle of unrighteous wills; and then, whatever pecuniary distress overtakes any individual in a family, cannot be charged upon the testator.

In farther illustration of the inve teracy of the received construction

2 H

of wills, I will add, as one among a thousand facts, that the necessary annihilation of Louisa's fortune was actually resented by some of the family; and particularly, as might be expected, by Alexander; who, with the selfish coarseness of a libertine, said, "it was confoundedly hard Louisa should give her capital to the dogs, when she knew very well that Emily was forced to carry pillows for an old hag of an aunt;-when she knows too," he added, “that I am a few thousands minus by that affair at Portsmouth." Alexander was not her only accuser. Even the affluent elder brother murmured about "the artificial wants of nervous persons; and the feelings of an invalid centering all in herself." Jane and Maria, the only proper sufferers by this act (for Emily neither wanted nor wished Louisa's assistance), nursed their dying sister with all the sex's tenderness, and followed her remains to the grave, lamenting that it was out of their power to render her last years less distressing.-Oh woman!

"A ministering angel thou!"

The only objection to the measure I have endeavoured to recommend, deserving notice, is entitled to some consideration, because it wears a moral aspect. It is this: "If you make a partial distribution among your children, you will infallibly create discord. They will hate each other; and your memory will not be blessed." The objection has all the plausibility which grows out of precedent; and, I think, nothing better. Family dissension is doubtless a great, and a very great, evil. But if such a consequence result from an action in itself righteous, the doer of that action is not responsible for any event whatever. He has executed his part justly, and delivered his own soul. Others must bear their own guilt.

When the Messiah said, "I come not to bring peace, but a sword;" it would be direct impiety to assert, that the Gospel was formally in

tended to fill the earth with bloodshed. His meaning was, that discord would be an accidental effect of his doctrine. But woe to them by whom it has been so abused. To apply this: a man draws up a deed, emphatically termed his last will and testament; that is, the last expression of his mind; the final act of his life; the final act of a being, who, at the very moment it becomes of force, is himself in eternity; far out of the reach of all worldly considerations. Such is the peculiar solemnity of this act, that he begins it with, "In the name of God. Amen.” It commences with an oath; and, if I mistake not, it is the only legal instrument so awfully prefaced. The plain question is, ought a testator, or ought he not, to perform this last act, this last appeal to God, with an unsullied conscience; or with a conscience perplexed, deluded, and even deadened, by the suspicion of posthumous blame? Every bosom returns the same reply. Do justice, love mercy; and leave the consequences to Providence. If we are not to do evil that good may come; neither may we do evil, that evit may be avoided.

The subject, sir, of my address, I believe, has never been publicly examined. There may not be twenty of your many readers, uninterested in its discussion. If any flaw should be discovered in the general reasoning of the present communication, I trust it will be pointed out; and, with your permission, the investigation shall be pursued. I have it in my power to assure the friends of the scheme here developed, that it has already been carried partially into effect by several heads of families.

I could name some gentlemen of high consideration, who have subdued feudal prejudices, by bringing Christian principle to bear upon the current duties of life. There may be others who have made a similar conquest, by suffering affection and equity to regain their natural stations; and whose practical knowledge of life

has taught them to measure the happiness of this world not so much by the possession of good, as by the absence of evil. Whether their calculation, thus dressed up and shaped like the dictum of a moralist, be right or wrong, I leave to such philosophers as aver that we are happy when we are not miserable. For my own part, I honour those fathers, who, by a kind of posthumous affection towards that portion of their offspring which most needs, and most deserves, its exercise, feel "the passion strong in death," and when compelled to take a last farewell of its object, are conscious that they have well foreseen the consequences of a separation, by leaving (as they were able) their daughters secure from the storms of the world. With regard to the sons, an average vigour of body, and energy of mind, combined with the discipline of school trials (which form many a sturdy character), and the whips and scorns of the time elapsing between boyhood and maturity, will enable them to fight their own way. And as their habits expose them to more fearful temptations than are encountered by the other sex, it is by no means to their moral disadvantage, if they are compelled to eat the bread of industry; a diet remarkably nutritious, and reported to have effected radical cures both in the physical and intellectual constitution, in cases where the regular powers of medicine have been completely baffled.

AN EXECUTOR.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. In the last number I find an inquiry respecting an English translation of the Septuagint. Theologus may be informed, that in the year 1808 such a translation was published in Philadelphia. The work contains a translation both of the Old and New Testament from the Greek. That which relates to the former is entitled, "The Old Covenant, commonly called the Old Testament, translated from the Septuagint, by

Charles Thompson, late Secretary to the Congress of the United States." This work contains not a word of preface or introduction, except a kind of legal declaration of the copyright. About a year ago I received a copy of the book, but have not perused much of it. When in the course of my reading I have met with English quotations from the Septuagint, I have generally. found them to agree in sense with this translation,

As the publisher of the Christian Observer has, no doubt, correspondents in America, he may find it his interest, and at the same time gratify his biblical friends, to obtain a few copies; but this, it seems, must for a while be delayed by the non-intercourse act.

"OMNIA E CONCHIS."

H.T.

LINES written by the Rev. Mr. Se-
ward of Lichfield, father of Miss.
Seward, on these words, taken by a
celebrated physician (Dr. Darwin)
as the motto to his arms, of which
the device was three scallop shells.
From Atoms in confusion hurl'd,
Old Epicurus built a world;
Maintain'd that all was accidental,
Whether corporeal powers or mental;
That neither Head, Hands, Heart, or Mind
By any foresight were design'd;
That Feet were not devis'd for walking;
For eating, Teeth ; or Tongues for talking;
That chance each casual texture made,
Then every member found its trade;
And in this whirlpool of stark nonsense,
He bury'd Virtue, Truth, and Conscience.
Each year produced long-labourd volumes,
Which cover'd half the Attic columns.
Celsus at length resolves to list
Under this great Cosmogonist,
Makes men start up from dead fish bones,

As old Deucalion did from stones:
Great Wizard he, by magic spells,
Can build a world of cockle shells;
And all things frame whilst eyelid twinkles,
From Lobsters, Crabs, and Perriwinkles.
O Doctor! change thy foolish Motto,
Or keep it for some Lady's Grotto;
If thou no more canst mend than make
Else thy poor Patients well may quake,

*The Doctor, it is said, took off his motta

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Cottage Dialogues among the Irish Peasantry. By MARY LEADBEATER. With Notes and a Preface by Maria Edgeworth, Author of Castle Rackrent, &c. London: Johnson, 1811. 12mo. pp. 343.

we have already hinted, are we disposed entirely to concur. Religion is a point on which we have been accustomed to have some differences with the Edgeworth family; and certainly we cannot allow that religion, is very liberally diffused through MRS. LEADBEATER, as we learn from Mrs. Leadbeater's pages. At page Miss Edgeworth, is grand-daughter 79 we have a slight allusion to the to the first preceptor of Edmund duty of trusting in Providence. We Burke. She has in her possession se- are incidentally told at p. 111, "that veral of the letters of that great man; there is nothing in this world worth but from a delicacy, and a respect losing one's peace of mind for;" and for the feelings of others, not very at p. 188, that "we must take the common"in this age of gossiping weather as it comes, and be satisfied anecdote and epistolary publicity, with what is sent us," it being well and which therefore merit the higher "that we have not the ordering of commendation, she has withheld such matters ourselves." At p. 265, them from the public. When she we hear of a person who "had little had written these Dialogues, her satisfaction latterly in this world, modesty led her to submit them to but who prayed for mercy, and said the revision of some literary friends, she hoped she had found it." And in and, among the rest, of Miss Edge- a somewhat higher strain we are worth, who warmly recommended taught at p. 119; "we don't know their publication According to this how soon it may please the Almighlady's opinion, and surely no one is ty to call us out of this world, and if better qualified to speak on such a we have not love in our hearts, we subject, the work contains "an exact are neither fit to live nor die." There representation of the manner of being is, we believe, in the whole work, onof the lower Irish, and a literally one other passage, which has any transcript of their language." The conversations, she also thinks "are such as seem actuaily to have passed in real life; the thoughts and feelings are natural, and the reflections and reasoning such as appear to be sug. gesed by passing circumstances, or personal experience." In short,

"the characteristic of the book is good sense." "Prudence and economy,morality, and" (Miss Edgeworth adds) "religion" (though to this addit.on we mean to take an exception)," are judiciously and liberally diffused through the whole, without touching upon peculiar tenets, without alarming party prejudices, or offending national pride."

Now, in every part of this warm recommendation of Miss Edgeworth, with the single exception at which

title to be called religious: and that we may do full justice to the fair author and her fair patron, we shall extract the entire Dialogue in which it occurs.

I

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Dialogue XIX. SUNDAY. Rose. Nancy. "Rose. Goodmorrow, Nancy, why are you milking the cow so late?

"Nancy. Because I went to bed tired after the day's diversion, and neither Tim nor awoke till near eight o'clock.

"Rose. Well, Nancy, we always get up earlier on Monday morning, than any in the week. It is a pleasant time to begin any fresh job of work, and one is so rested all Sunday.

"Nancy. The never a one in our house rests, neither cat, nor dog, nor any one else. "Rose. How do you manage to be all so tired?

"Nancy. Why, in the morning we take a good sleep, and then I am hurried to get the

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