aid, and she is not more earnest in desiring the pardon of her sins through Jesus Christ, than she is fervent in imploring grace, through the same Saviour, to purify her heart, and make her meet for the kingdom of heaven. That doctrine of grace which the Scriptures teach, in order that it may be practically employed for these simple and pious purposes, has been made the peculiar topic of religious controversy in the world, and has served remarkably to embitter many Christians against each other. Strange and pernicious abuse! How melancholy is the reflection, that men, instead of endeavouring to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace," should be occupied in turning this doctrine of divine help, (a doctrine so mercifully revealed) to the purposes of metaphysical disquisition, jealous suspicion, and angry disputation. One party having combined the doctrine of grace with that of predestination and final perseverance, has been understood by its adversaries practically to deny the voluntary agency of man, and the une quivocal reality of those general offers of the Gospel which are made in Scripture; while the other party, having strenuously contended for the freedom of the human will, has been thought to invade the doctrine of a divine providence, and to refer to ourselves, rather than to God, the first and determining step in our salvation. Both parties, indeed, have endeavoured to give a metaphysical perfection to their system by the help of many subtleties of their own, and of abundant quotations from Scripture; a nearly equal number of texts having been pressed into each service. Both, however, have been apt to construe their Bible, not in that popular, unlearned, and practical manner in which it is unquestionably written, but as if delivering itself with a nice and philosophical precision; and as if the ministers of Christianity would be well employed in continually discussing those high mysterious questions

"Of providence, fore-knowledge, will, Fixed fate, free will, fore-knowledge ab

and fate,

solute;"

questions which have ever amused the fancy, divided the judgment, and baffled the understanding of the philosophical world.

But this is not all. Many have been forward to deem those persons clouded in their views, and defective in their faith, who piously withdrawing from barren and unprofitable controversy, have laboured to make use of the doctrine of grace rather than very nicely to define it: thus giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure, and resting on the assured mercy and unquestionable faithfulness of that God who hath declared, that he desireth not the death of the sinner, but that all should come to repentance.

Theodosia has little respect for Eusebia, on account of her seeming to be so very ignorant on these subjects. Eusebia, on the other hand, laments to see how much the temper of Theodosia is hurt, and her thoughts and endeavours called away from more profitable employments, by her taste for subtle disquisitions.

Amanda's good humour undoubtedly has never been interrupted by this theological combat. She lives in a circle where the doctrine of divine grace itself is little known, and in some danger of being despised. She herself, indeed, seems scarcely to believe the doctrine. It is true, that if you remind her of it, she readily admits it, and that she would be much surprised if no mention were made of it on Whit-Sunday from the pulpit. But I fear that practically she trusts in her own powers, and that her prayers are not, like those of Eusebia, the expressions of a heart earnest in imploring divine help against temptations, direction in difficulties, and instruction in all righteousness; but are rather the execution of a formal castomary duty. It was before intimated, that her want of genuine faith in the atonement of Christ, was indicated by her apparent aversion to take a full view of her sinfulness. Her want of cordial belief in the efficacy and all sufficiency of divine grace, manifests itself by an unwillingness to enter into the full consideration of her Christian duties. When these are back from the subject, and says, that clearly set before her, she draws you are requiring of her more than it is possible for human nature to perform. She understands not the meaning and force of those expressions, "My grace is sufficient for thee; my strength is made perfect in thy weakness. "With men it is impossible,

Tuesday. The pilot in the morning got the ship under weigh, and we were startled by the sudden noises passing rapidly to every quarter of the deck. To us all was jarring and barbarous confusion. However it seems there is distinction and appropriate meaning in the cries of the men. There is one cry for heaving the anchor; another for a hard pull at a rope which requires the united strength of several men; one of a different kind, when only two or three are employed at a pull; and cries different from these, and from each other, when the work is easy in both cases.

Wednesday.-The setting sun made a glorious appearance, throwing a dazzling radiance over the part of the sea beneath its orb, and gilding the top of every wave in a line towards the eye, with a light which diminished both in width and brilliance as it approached us. Part of his orb soon appeared to sink into the ocean, and his light became fainter and fainter, till at length, when three-fourths or four-fifths of the disk had disappeared, the part still visible lost its proper shape, and a flat and broad plate of fire seemed to lie on the sea, and send up a low purple cloud like smoke, in the shape of a plume of ostrich feathers. Sober magnificence was now the character of the scene. At length the great ruler of the day withdrew himself entirely from our sight, leaving marks of his retiring state in the coloured clouds and glowing horizon, which presented an appearance like that which succeeds his setting by land.

In a conversation with Captain A, he observed that prime English sailors are far more apt to be dissolute than foreigners, but are very superior to them in activity, nautical skill, and resources. Most of our foreigners have been long in the EngJish service, and in habits and disposi

One of the gentlemen on board, Mr. L, was thrice taken during this war. Twice he escaped by running away, and the other time was marched with 2200 other prisoners to Orleans, and kept long in prison. As they passed through the country (about 500 miles) their guard often used them ill. The people of the country sometimes used them ill, and sometimes kindly. Individuals often assisted those who were tired, and lagged behind, with a little money, &c: these presents were sent by young children, as they were afraid of making them themselves.

Friday. The sailors have, during the two last days, been getting sails, &c. ready against times when they will be less at leisure, and talking over their former adventures. They were taking a rope from the edge of a sail merely because it was not put on sufficiently neatly, in order to sow it on in another manner. Their dirty and slovenly state shows how much mer are indebted for a better condition in those respects to the industry and society of women.

corroborates

Saturday.-Mr. LCaptain A- -'s account as to foreign sailors from the North, representing them as far less active, vigorous, and spirited, but more patient and steady than the English, and quite as hardy and as strong. He says the Danes come nearest to the English in good qualities. He describes the Americans as active, but impatient of discipline and subordination, not thoroughly skilled as seamen, not to be depended upon for truth and fidelity, and soon dispirited by difficulties. (But the captain thinks them equal to the English). Mr. L has served with French sailors, and says they are lively, active, and spirited, but excessively deceitful, and not comparable to English sailors in science, perseverance, and strength. He thinks Welsh and Scotch sailors the best, frugal, strong, cleanly, mo ral, able, spirited, and well-behaved when properly used by their officers, but fiery and resolute when ill-used. The English are dissolute and more apt to be quarrelsome among themselves. The Irish are so dishonest and ill-behaved, and such runaways, that he never would take one into a ship. He

speaks strongly of the great poverty of the French commonalty as he traversed the country, more particularly the last time, which was in 1798. Agriculture seemed then to be almost entirely managed by women and old men, and appeared to be declining considerably. Very few young men were to be seen out of the army. I have been pleased to find from him, that the English prisoners of war were industrious. Out of between 2 and 3000 at Orleans, two-thirds employed themselves in handicraft trades, as tailors, shoe-makers, shirt-makers, makers of cabinet wares (as writingdesks, &c.) and many were suffered to work out of prison on furlough, as smiths, joiners, &c.: others taught the young prisoners writing and navigation, and the copying of charts of the channel, &c. &c. They had an internal police for the punishment of theft (exercised, in some instances, on the Irish), and were very generally well-behaved, cleanly in their bedding, and also in their persons, especially on Sundays. They had among them some Irishmen, who had enter ed from the prisons into the French service, and, the French not being able to trust them, had again sent them to the prison, where they met with much dislike and contumely. There was little or no gambling among the English prisoners, while the French, in our prisons, carried it to the most shocking excess. The former were very ill-fed, on a scanty allowance of rotten beef and black bread, till they were maintained by our own government, when they fared very well. I think they appear to have been often saucy to the French, and, I dare say, had in their turn some reason to complain of ill-usage.

Sunday.-I spoke to the captain about a lusty youth of eighteen, who swears, and shews strong signs of being dissolute. Mr. L says, that his father always had prayers, a chapter in the Bible read, and a hymn sung in his family every night. I said a little, in a delicate, but plain way, to him on the subject of the deceit he used to escape when a prisoner: he pleaded necessity, but his principles are evidently relaxed, though their original strictness is by no means forgotten by him, nor has lost its place in his sober approbation.

Monday.A heavy gale for some hours this morning, against which the CHRIST. OBSERV, No. 15.

ship beat up under a continual reduction of sail as it increased, till, at last, none was left standing but the mizenstay-sail. The rain beat in irregular bursts on the crew, whose activity and energy were not at all affected by it. They climbed the rigging, and tied up the sails to the yards, with astonishing vigour, though under a most. pelting storm, and though they were swung from side to side, and up and down, by the violent motion of the ship, with very great rapidity. Any men must have been daunted who had not been long used to brave nuatical dangers and hardships. Thank God, none of our party were frightened; and if M- was, she behaved with much self-command and propriety. In the afternoon the wind abated, but the sea continued greatly agitated, and the ship rolled as violently as it had pitched in the morning, when we were on the other tack. The storm did not much alter the direction of the wind, which continued right against us. Capt. Aconducted himself with great prudence and vigour, and in the midst of his difficulties attended in person to the lashing of the sofas, &c. in the cabin. During the storm the sea was awfully grand. I was pleased with the care of the captain, in putting in complete order, as soon as the gale and its attendant bustle were over, every rope, &c. &c. which had been left in a slovenly state during the pressure of the emergency. He remarked to me, that measures would never be prompt and effectual in times of difficulty, unless great order and neatness were preserved in the ship in seasons of ease-a good general maxim, applicable to all affairs of a complicated nature.

Saturday.I was shocked about three in the morning by the very profane language of S, while telling a story to another; and on getting up, I was much hurt to find that other person to be Mr. L. Intending to take a better opportunity of speaking to Mr. L on the subject, I did not speak to S about his profaneness as I purposed to do, when I left my bed. How lamentable, that a man brought up like Mr. L-should tolerate, and to a considerable degree countenance, such language!

Sunday.I see no reading or signs of a Sunday among the crew, except that the officers and a few of the men

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