veterans amounting to upwards of thirty thousand, although the French were in possession of all the strong places of the country. It is true, that we were assisted in the siege of Cairo by twenty-five thousand Turks, but every one knows their great inferiority to Europeans, and, therefore, the simple fact of the entire conquest of Egypt, by the force which I have stated, would speak sufficiently for itself, even if no particular account of military actions had been given to us. The gallantry, however, of the landing; the battle of the 21st of March, in which one of the wings of our army sustained and repelled the utmost efforts of a French force equal to twice their own number; and many other engagements of smaller bodies, particularly one near Alexandria, in which less than two hundred British charged with the bayonet and drove before them about six hundred French, conspire to prove the unrivalled bravery of our countrymen. narrative of Sir Robert Wilson; for Menou merely adopts some religious phrases of Mahometanism for purposes of temporary policy. "In the name of God, clement and merciful," says this Frenchman, "there is no God but God, and Mahomet is his prophet. It is God directs the armies, and grants victory to whom he pleases. The English, &c. have appeared off the coast: if they set a foot on shore they shall be thrown into the sea." How melancholy is the reflection that the reader is thus taught to associate the idea of the grossest hypocrisy with the mention of religion, and to conceive a total abstinence from all acknowledgment of a Supreme Being to be among those marks of superiority which characterize the British conquerors. Two remarkable atrocities of Bonaparte are mentioned in this history: the one, the murder of some hundreds of his own sick by the means of poison; the other, the massacre in cold blood of several thousand prisoners. The public are indebted to Sir R. Wilson for the first publication of these facts, of which, as I understand, there is no reason to doubt the authenticity. It may, perhaps, seem harsh to add any censure on the work of this author, after an acknowledgment of the pleasure received from his narration. In truth, Sir, I do not propose generally to blame the work, but to lament an important omission. It is no less than this, the omission of all acknowledgment of a God and of a divine Providence, as directing the winds and the waves, as appointing the victory to whom he pleases, and as determining the lot of individuals on the day of battle. In one part, indeed, of the book (I mean in a proclamation of Menou, the French commander in chief, inserted in the appendix,) I find the recognition of a deity, but I confess myself as much pained by the religious professions of this general, as by the want of all reference to a Providence through the two hundred and fifty pages of the Some other accounts make the number of the French twenty-six thousand. CHRIST. OBSERV, No. 23. "Destiny" is that power to which Sir Robert Wilson is disposed to ascribe all the successes of the campaign; for, not to quote a variety of passages in which this sentiment appears, he expressly says, [see note to page 212,]"destiny seems to have taken in this expedition the only possible way to success, and has left the impression of her power on the mind of every man employed there." I am afraid it is too true, that many of the British army, I fear also that not a few of the British nation, are much inclined to refer human events to fortune, chance, fate, or destiny, rather than to the over-ruling Providence of that Being, whose character is unfolded to us in scripture. Destiny is also the great principle of the modern infidels. This is that deity whom it has been the labour of philosophers to exalt into the throne of the Almighty; a most convenient God both for the man of reflection who is destitute of all religious principle, for the follower of pleasure who is resolved to riot in licentiousness, for the warrior who is disposed to plunder without mercy, and for the politician who is unbounded in his ambition and not to be restrained in his iniquity. For destiny has no moral law: it acknowledges neither a heaven nor a hell; it is a God which neither punishes transgressors nor is "the rewarder of them that diligently seek him;" it views, with equal eye, the oppressor and the oppressed, the dishonest and the upright, the licentious and the chaste; it encourages no contrition; it suggests no repent 4 P ance; it regards alike the persevering criminal and the humble peni tent. I grant that some persons may use the expressions of fortune, chance, or even of fate and destiny, without implying a renunciation of their christian faith; in general, however, I must insist that this language, even when used by professing christians, is but too strong an indication of practical infidelity. "We give to chance, blind chance, our- The glory of thy work- reign'st: Thy Providence forbids that fickle power, To mix her wild vagaries with thy laws. tem. Being rather than to trust in him; and as a God of purity they know him not, "being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate." Let our Calvinists take care to avoid every degree of their error. There is another fault in the history of Sir R. Wilson, a fault common, indeed, to the narratives of military commanders, which deserves some notice. The reader is too much led to conceive, that the duties of the man are altogether merged in those of the soldier. Undoubtedly the fulfilment of all that belongs to our particular profession, constitutes a material part of our obligation as Christians; but the general law of God is the great rule for human conduct, and "whoso keepeth the whole law and yet offendeth in one point, he is guilty of all." Sir Robert Wilson, in describing Menou, speaks handsomely of him on the ground "of his having retired from a government, where he had the full command over the revenue without appropriating any part to his own advantage." I was glad to perceive that merit out of the profes sion enters thus far into Sir Robert Wilson's general estimate of character. I lament, however, that the French General is so favourably spoken of as he is in the following passage. "Although (says Sir Robert) the destiny of General Menou had been so unfortunate, still justice demands that his character should be highly respected by his country. Whatever mi litary faults may be urged against him, no enemy can traduce his devotion to the service in which he was engaged. Attached by principle and duty to the Republic, he remained faithful and zealous for her interests and honour." No notice is here taken of that abominable hypocrisy which induced this too faithful representative of BoI admit, indeed, that there is a bad naparte to issue the proclamation, de species of predestination, bad because claring, "that there is no God but it borders on that doctrine of fate of God, and that Mahomet is his prowhich I am complaining, tending to phet." "Perhaps," (says the writer mitigate the evil of sin, and leading of the narrative,) "a candid and pubsome to presumption, and others to lic enquiry into this campaign before despair. The Turks, as is well known a tribunal, where General Menou and as appears by some passages in could expose all the particulars of his the work of Sir R. Wilson, abound in situation, might altogether exonerate something which they term prayer, him from the censure which is ever and in the acknowledgment of the attached to ill success." What might hand of God, and are, at the same be the issue of such a trial I know time, strong predestinarians. But not, but of this I am sure, that when they are apt to tempt the Supreme General Menou shall be summoned Permit me to offer another remark. Many persons are extremely anxious to oppose the propagation of the doctrines of Calvinism, and chiefly on the ground of evil apprehended from the predestinarian part of this sysBut what, Sir, is the predestination of the Calvinist, when compared with the fate and destiny in which so many inhabitants of this Christian land believe? Is not the predestination of, at least, every sober Calvinist the predestination of a wise and holy God, producing effects by a chain of suitable causes, connecting means with ends, and governing himself by moral rules, though these are not always discernible by mortal eyes? It appears to me, Sir, that some of us are too much afraid of predestination of this sort, while a mass of practical atheism, of atheism, which many pious Calvinists are very instrumental in removing, is faintly perceived and but too slightly regarded. with a view to the general benefit of your readers. SIR, SCRUTATOR. London, Jan. 6, 1803. before that still higher tribunal, at which he must " give account of all things done in the body," the proclamation to which I have alluded will form one part of those "particulars" of his Egyptian expedition on which To the Editor of the Christian Observer. the awful judgment will be given; and that nothing less than the blood of that Son of God, whose religion he has renounced and whose name he has despised, will be sufficient to obliterate his crime, a crime which his supreme desire of military success perhaps tempted him to commit. As a Christian, I must add, may he repent and be forgiven! I have been the more earnest on this subject, because I am persuaded that a blind and unqualified admiration of merely military merit has been one of the great causes of that calamitous state of Europe which we all now deplore, and because there is, at this time, more than usual danger lest the same error should gain ground in England. Why was it that Bonaparte, notwithstanding all his crimes, became the idol of the French? Because being themselves inflated with military pride, they forgot the man in the warrior; because christian virtue was little esteemed in France, and a fierce Roman spirit was substituted in the place of the mild graces of the Gospel. And why is it that the military Republic of France will continue dangerous to Britain and to the world, even though Bonaparte were to fall? Because the same spirit would survive. Let us give all due praise to military men. They stand foremost as the defenders of our laws, our liberties, and our religion. But let them be reminded, that we wish the men who fight for our religion to be themselves religious, and that a part at least of their glory consists in the excellency of the cause in which they are engaged. We honour the memory of Abercrombie, not only on account of his skill and valour in the field, and his other virtues, but because he was the General who represented a free and just nation, and from a provident regard to the safety of our eastern empire, was sent to recover a country which the unprincipled tyrant of the French having violently seized, was resolved no less unjustly to retain. Excuse, Mr. Editor, the freedom of these remarks, which are offered MUSING to-day on the present festival, which is to be celebrated this evening with plumb-cakes, by kings, queens, and other dramatis persona, I was endeavouring to trace the origin of these festive rites, and it appeared to me they were a relic of the religious plays which constituted a part both of the devotion and entertainment of the middle ages, when the people, instead of being instructed from the scriptures, were amused with farcical representations of the most awful mysteries of christianity, the history of the redemption of man being turned into a puppet-show! It is to be deplored, that the same practice prevails in Spain and Portugal, from the same causes, even to this day. The Church of Rome denominates the wise men who came to seek the new-born Saviour, kings, and the Papists are accustomed to represent the holy virgin as a queen; I suppose they also introduced some imaginary characters to fill the scene, and they might appoint some to represent the beasts in the stable; truth or unity of place being, probably, no part of their dramatic excellence. I remember, not many years back, it was usual in the South of France to introduce an ass into the Church in solemn procession on the day of celebrating the flight of the holy family into Egypt; and it would be very suitable to the ideas of wit which belonged to that period to which I refer, to make a chief part of the entertainment consist in men's undertaking to represent brutes, but this part of the drama may be considered as merely conjectural. The ornamented cake (which is frequently done with stars) may be supposed to denote the offerings brought by the wise men, and the star which was their guide. Happily these festivities with us are unassociated with a scripture history, and may therefore be considered innocently as children's play. But may not this day in religious families be rendered more rationally entertaining, and really subserve a pious and bene volent intention? The festival is named by our Church, the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, and is, therefore, an interesting one to us; and since the conversion of heathen nations begins now to occupy the attention of Christians beyond what it formerly did, may not some hints be suggested by the observance of this day, whereby the minds of our children will be interested for those of their own age among the Heathen? their children pleased, and would still more delight to see them improved by Some years ago I engaged with a young lady, then about fifteen, and her mother, to send a box annually, stored with little presents, to the children of the German missionaries stationed among the Esquimaux on the forlorn coast of Labrador. We pleased ourselves with the idea, that our figs, and raisins, and tamarinds would, to these little ones, who had never seen a tree blossom or a flower vegetate, appear like fruits of Paradise; and I have now by me some letters we received in return, together with neat works in seal-skin, and variegated stones, the only produce of their barren soil which they could call beautiful, and which they sent as tokens of gratitude. Might it not be practicable for our children to prepare garments, or other presents, for the children of foreign missionaries, or rather of the Heathen among whom they reside, which should be made up with great ceremony on this day; and during their repast (for I would not abrogate the festival or exclude the cake) they might be entertained by their parents with some account of the countries and inhabitants whither their presents were bound; and with relations, suited to their age, of the proceedings of the missionaries, which would render the feast more instructive, and not less engaging than it is at present. The previous preparations of the year would contribute to give interest to the day; and whilst the employment tended to enlarge their ideas and expand their hearts, it would have this peculiar advantage, that the objects of attention being absent, the danger of forming little de pendants and flatterers by their infant bounty would be avoided. I have ventured to send you these hints, Mr. Editor, in the hope that if you think them worthy of regard, you will recommend them to the attention of parents, who delight to see TWELFTH DAY. COPY OF AN ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE I SHOULD excuse my idlenes, or my companie of scabbed sheepe. The first Your ever obliged ffreind, Soothill, the 2nd of April, 1651. To the Editor of the Christian Observer, Ir is possible some of your readers may come into circumstances in which the following information may prove useful, and this induces me to transmit it to you for publication. Some years ago, residing in a seaport town, a vessel came in with some men she had taken up at sea in the most destitute condition, having been several days in an open boat without food. They said, they owed their preservation to an expedient suggested by one of their small company, which was to dip their clothes in the sea-water, and put them on wet, repeating the application several times in the twenty-four hours. They found hereby a sensible diminution of both hunger and thirst, and a recruit of strength and spirits. This resource would, doubtless, have soon proved insufficient, but it supported them till they got sight of a vessel; and two or three men, who did not pursue the same method, died. It is probable many may be acquainted with this beneficial effect of sea-water, but that it is not generally thought of or known, appears from the melancholy accounts we often read of persons perishing at sea from hunger, and making no trial of it. C. L. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. HAVING lately chanced to peruse Mil- E. F. G. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. YOUR correspondent, Senex, in your Observer for October, has given us a very pleasing and useful account of his son, in which there is one circumstance peculiarly calling for the attention of all to whose care the education of youth is committed; I mean, the too common mode of extorting from young children a confession of faults by means of threats. In this case, I speak from personal" experience. It was my misfortune to be sent to school at so early a period, that I was, what is called, the fagg of the school, and subjected to the tyranny and oppression of the other boys. Whatever was to be done which was wrong, I was made the agent; and, in consequence, whatever was wrong was generally placed to my account. It happened, at that time, that some |