rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb."* But I must check myself: to notice every similarity, still more every scriptural beauty, would swell my letter to a volume. If the hints I have thrown out, give you a new motive to read with increased interest and attention, you will discover beauties for yourself, and in that discovery find a rich reward. Do not suppose I wish to chill the ardent admiration which all, but especially young minds, feel for the productions of human genius-admire the scriptures first, last, most, and then admire other works how you will. Neither do I wish to make you affect criticism; or delight in theories; or consider the devotion of sentiment more than the devotion of principle; or confound a religious taste, with a taste for true religion. My simple desire is, that you should not be a literary Persian, adoring the orb of human genius, whilst forgetful of Him who * Revelation vi. 13-17. bids it shine; but a Christian, one who fears God before he honours man. To this end, I entreat you to drink reverentially, deeply, constantly, at that unsealed fountain of glory, wisdom, beauty, and power,-the eternal Word of God. Then, I will trust you to wander at will amongst the writings of mere mortals; for you will then bear about with you a talisman of truth, an armour of strength, a new sense for enjoyment, which will reveal to you their errors, defend you from their assaults, enhance and purify their worth. Trying all principles by scripture principles, comparing all beauties with scripture beauties, elevating that one book as the standard by which all others are to be judged as the sun, from their proximity to which, they can alone derive their glory— you will read nothing without profit.* History, poetry, narrative, all will speak to you of God. Evil men and evil deeds, will confirm and elucidate his descriptions of the heart by nature; whilst such as are "lovely * Of course this assertion is not made of works decidedly immoral or frivolous. and of good report," will be referred to their true source, even "the riches of the glory of his grace, by whom are all things, and without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy." Characters and qualities opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ, will gradually lose their lustre, and cease to attract admiration or excite sympathy. You will learn that no plant of intellectual renown can long flourish in the soil of moral depravity; -your mind's vision will be purified to discern the analogy which subsists between the principles which give permanence to genius, and those which ennoble and invigorate the soul. As you take a religious, you will take a refined view of intellectual creations; glaring qualities, you will no longer mistake for great ones, nor be reconciled to what is shallow, merely because it may chance to be sparkling. You will regard the materials of which character is composed, more than the endowments that may gild and embroider its surface. The storms of passion, the wild beatings of ungoverned sensibility, and the reckless energies of im pulse, will be recognised as what they really are-attractions of a second-rate and vulgar cast. They will shrink before "the greatness of principle," and appear "poor and low, compared with the magnanimity of virtue." I say not that the intellectual study of the scriptures will, of itself, induce this calm and sober, yet withal, this lofty temperament; but if combined with their devotional use, and that, as the habit of a heart, the desire of a soul, seeking after truth that the truth may make it free,-then, the results I have described are not exaggerated. Oh! dearest, when I think of you, in this sweet season of youth, my heart yearns over you with the tender solicitude of one who can be young no more. Shall it be in vain? Will you give your affections, yet unmarked by a scar, to a world that will only wither them with its pleasures, or crush them beneath its cares? that pretends not to offer a blessing or a joy able to endure the touch of time, or shield the soul from sorrow? that has no heritage beyond the ever-changing present; no glory that is not founded in vanity, and doomed to destruction? whose votaries, when they have loved, served, flattered, worshipped, sacrificed, through life, ask forgetfulness as a last boon, and even that boon, ask in vain? Will you surrender your mind, with all its budding energies, your sensibility yet in its spring-bloom, to the literature of that world which heeds not the serpent and its sting, if the flowers that hide them be but fair? No! dearest you will not call the restraints which religion imposes on youth and on genius, other than an easy yoke, which it is their glory and happiness to wear. You will not cast aside your bible as a dull book, commanding and connected with duller duties; its perusal will not be the task-work and penance of some lonely hour of which conscience is the angry ruler; you will rather esteem it a pleasuregarden of mind, an intellectual Eden, containing what is "good for food, and pleasant to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise;" whilst the Tree of Life towers in the midst, neither barred by prohibition, nor guarded by flaming sword. Whether read |