fixed devotions, including, as of course they ought, prayer, meditation, self-examination, and the reading of the holy Scriptures. This edifying process, if delayed till the powers are exhausted by study will generally be cold and spiritless nor is it very reverent to set apart for heavenly things, a time in which the mind is languid and worn out with the labours of the day. Men of business cannot always choose their own hours, and must therefore submit to what they cannot controul; besides which, their pursuits are often of such a kind that a religious mind turns from them at the close of the day with conscious emancipation and with a delightful spring and vigour to heavenly contemplations: but the student, who has the regulation of his time at his own command, has not the same excuse for deferring his devotions to the extreme verge of the day; and in his case to do so is the more inexpedient and injurious because of the peculiar character of his occupations, and the less marked transition in his employments. While on the subject of daily prayer, I would notice a snare in the path of religious young men at our universities. I allude to the ordinary attendance at chapel, which is very properly secured in our academical regulations. There cannot be conceived a more delightful break of the daily toil of a religious student than these services might be made; but in fact they are too frequently found even to be a disadvantage to spiritual mindedness in religion. The frequency of attendance, the repetition of the same service, excellent as it is, the indifference and coldness which too generally prevail on all sides, the lingering thoughts of worldly sub jects from which the collegian has just separated, all conspire, unless the greatest care be taken, to render his prayers formal and heartless. Let him earnestly pray aud strive against the first approaches of indifference and formality; for bitterly will he have cause to mourn if he once allow the words of devotion to become so trite that he repeats them without feeling their force. For the mischief does not stop at this point; it soon extends from the daily to the Sunday service. Sunday indeed, from the very circumstance of this daily use of the church service, is not at college marked out from other days in the distinct way which prevails without the academic walls; and though this ought to suggest to the collegian that Sunday does not differ from the rest of the week in merely reading a form of worship, and should lead him to distinguish it (as our church intended) by a religious observance of the whole day, yet not rarely, is the contrary effect produced. In the occupations too of the Lord's day, our spiritual enemy is apt to gain an advantage over the student by leading him to substitute theological for devotional studies. The line is often so very fine between the two, that it is advisable (as indeed in all cases of temptation) to keep clearly at a distance from it. This unhappy substitution of scientific for practical divinity, deprives those who have been almost every hour of the week toiling in the dust of earthly things, of the refreshment they might derive from those green oases, those "islands of the blessed"," which are so graciously scattered along the wilderness. It is with pain I proceed to observe, that the deadness of soul which steals on the collegian in his public worship, even extends to the most awful of the Christian mysteries, the communion of the body and blood of Christ; especially when, in addition to his own deficiency of spiritual appetite, he sees around him countenances embarrassed from conscious unfitness, or cold from unconcern, or settled * Ες Θασιν πολιν. . ουνομάζεται δὲ ὄχωρος ούτ τος κατὰ ̓Ελλήνων γλώσσαν, Μακάρων νῆσος. Herodot. 3. 20. into a more awful expression of pride and carelessness. Directions for removing these impediments to the efficacious use of the means of grace, I do not pretend to give. I cannot, however, but recommend to every religious student (though the advice is not altogether connected with the subject under.discussion) to let his sentiments be known in his college as early as he can consistently with modesty, humility, and wisdom. His course will thus be safer and much more comfortable to himself. This early frankness and consistency of character will cut at the root of numberless temptations which would otherwise assail him. Let him also make it his sincere and persevering prayer that God may not grant him these honours to which he is conscientiously aspiring, if his success would in the slightest degree interfere with his growth in grace and in the knowledge of his Lord and Saviour. Let him from the first take high ground: let him firmly close the door against the splendid bales of worldly merchandize, if the infection and the plague of sin is to be introduced with them. It is to those who have not yet commenced their collegiate residence that I chiefly address myself: my remarks will appear obvious enough to those who have already resided; but, in general, students are not sufficiently aware of the danger before hand; and their ignorance is one great cause of their danger. I have mentioned religious students; because every religious man at col lege should be a reading man*: not perhaps to the extent above intimated, but so far at least as to devote regularly a certain and ample number of hours every day to his academical studies. The publication of some periodical work having the growth of religion in our colleges as its principal object might be highly useful, or at least a frequent allusion to the subject in such established publications as the Christian Observer; and many of your readers, Mr. Editor, would hail with great pleasure, some occasional essays on the subject in your magazine. A. Mr. Hey says: "The first things that ministry) should regard, are a right a minister (or one preparing for the knowledge of the doctrines of the Go spel, and an experimental acquaintance with their efficacy upon his own heart: but every qualification that can render his labours useful to mankind is worth the pursuit. Among these latter qualifications must be ranked a competent share of learning, obtained in such a ing; and the power of exercising the public functions of the ministry in a decent and impressive manner. Do not forget to read well. How many learned manner as to cultivate the understand men are defective in this useful talent? A minister who is to officiate in a church where so much reading occurs as in our National Establishment, ought to be able to perform this office in a manner that shall not disgrace the solemn services in which he is to take the lead. I am aware that your voice is not a good one; but this should urge you to make up the deficiency, as much as possible, by a proper method of using it." MISCELLANEOUS. REMARKS DURING A JOURNEY invitation, which I gladly accepted, THROUGH NORTH AMERICA. (Continued from p. 561.) Charleston, South Carolina, 26th Feb. 1820. I WROTE to you on the 19th inst. and soon afterwards received an to accompany a gentleman to his rice plantation about thirty miles distant. With the interesting character of this excellent and venerable friend, I have already made you acquainted. Descended from one of the old patrician families who form as it were the nobility of Carolina, educated at one of our English public schools and universities, and enjoying a high reputation, acquired in arduous military and diplomatic situations, he would be regarded, I am persuaded, as second to few in Europe, as a statesman, a scholar, and a gentleman. I took an early breakfast with him at his handsome town-house, whence we proceeded to the ferry. After crossing the bay, we found the General's carriage waiting for us, with a few periodical publications in it, and with led horses in case we should wish to vary our mode of conveyance. We stopped at noon to rest the horses, and to take a little refreshment in the woods, and reached the plantation to a late din ner in the evening. The road lay through a pine barren, such as I have already described; and we scarcely -passed a creature in the course of the day, except my friend's sister, an old lady, and her two nieces, who -were on their way to Charleston, in a large family carriage and four, with a Black servant on a mule behind, a Negro woman and child on the footboard, and three or four baskets of country provisions hanging from the axle-tree. They inquired how far they were from the spring, where we had been resting, and where they proposed to take their al fresco repast. In the morning, I strolled out before breakfast, into the plantation, and saw about twelve female slaves, from eighteen to twenty-eight years of age, thrashing rice on a sort of clay floor, in the same manner as our farmers thrash wheat. It was extremely hot, and the employment seemed very laborious. After break fast, the General took me over the plantation; and in the course of our walk we visited the little dwellings of the Negroes. These were generally grouped together round some thing like a farm-yard; and behind each of them was a little garden, which they cultivate on their own account. The huts themselves are not unlike a poor Irish cabin, with the addition of a chimney. The bedding of the Negroes consists simply of blankets, and their clothing is generally confined to a sort of flannel garment, made up in different forms. Those whom I saw at home were cowering over a fire, although the day was oppressively hot, and the little Negroes were sunning themselves with great satisfaction about the door. They all seemed glad to see my friend, who talked to them very familiarly, and most of them inquired after their mistress. I was told that their provisions were prepared for them, and that twice every day they had as much as they asked for of Indian corn, sweet potatoe, and broth, with the occasional addition of a little meat. Besides this they frequently prepare for themselves a little supper from the produce of their garden, and fish which they catch in the river. On many plantations it is usual to give out their allowance once a week, and to let them cook it for themselves, their fuel costing them nothing but the trouble of gathering it. A nurse and doctor, both Negroes I believe, are provided for them: and making allowance for the sick, the children, &c. I was told that on the rice plantations in that neighbourhood, half the gang, as they are bideously called, were effective hands. I heard my benevolent friend order wine, oranges, &c. for some of the invalids; and I believe that I have seen a very favourable specimen of Negro slavery. Yet the picture must ever be a dark one, and, when presented to an eye not yet familiar with its horrors, must excite reflections the most painful and depressing. Humanity may mitigate the sufferings of the wretched victims of the slave system, and habit render them less sensible to their degradation; but no tenderness can eradicate from slavery the evils inherent in its very nature, nor familiarity reconcile man to perpetual bondage, but by sinking him below the level of his kind. The Negroes usually go to work at sun-rise, and finish the task assigned to them at three or four, or sometimes five or six o'clock in the evening. They have Sunday to themselves, three days at Christmas, one day for sowing their little crop in spring, and another for reaping it in autumn. In the West Indies, I understand that the slaves work under the lash a certain number of hours in the day, instead of having task-work; and that they are not generally supplied with food. by the masters, but have a certain portion of time to plant their own provisions, during which they are still under the driver's lash. The mode of treatment, however, varies greatly in the different islands. In the course of the morning we saw several other plantations in the neighbourhood; and on some of which were very handsome residences, with grounds resembling an English park. The live oaks profusely scattered, and often standing ing alone, contributed greatly to this resemblance. These noble trees form a very striking and interesting feature in a Carolinian landscape, especially when at distant intervals they cast their broad shadows on the level spacious tracts of cleared land, which stretch to the distant forest without a fence, or the smallest perceptible undulation or variety of surface. They are not tall, but from twelve to eighteen feet in girth, and contain a prodigious quantity of timber. At the dis tance of fifteen or eighteen feet from the ground, they divide into three or four immense limbs, which grow nearly in a horizontal direction, or rather with a gentle curve, to the length of forty or fifty paces. The wood is almost incorruptible; and on this account, as well as from its furnishing, in its natural state, almost every curve which is required in the construction of a vessel, it is invaluable for naval purposes. We dined at a neighbouring plantation, and after tea I had a pleasant tête-à-tête ride home through the woods with my venerable friend. We spent the evening very agreeably, in general conversation on American and European politics, and in examining various works on the botany and ornithology of America. My friend had an excellent library, comprizing many recent and valuable British publications, and a more extensive collection of English agricultural works than I ever saw in a private library before. The house is a very handsome one, and covers more ground than houses on a similar scale in England, as it is thought desirable in this climate to have only one room deep, with a profusion of windows, which do not put one in good humour with our window-tax. From the windows of the library and diningroom, the eye wandered over extensive rice-fields, the surface of which is levelled with almost mathematical exactness, as it is necessary to overflow them at particular periods from various canals which intersect them, and which communicate with rivers whose waters are thrown back by the flowing of the tide.-At six o'clock this morning I left my hospitable friend, who sent me in his carriage half way back to Charleston, to a spot where my servant and horses met me. The few days previous to this excursion had been spent principally in visiting the different families with whom I have already made you acquainted, and who were particularly attentive to me. The best society here, though not very extensive, is much superior to any which I have yet seen in America. It consists of a few old patriciau families, who form a select circle, into which the "novi homines," unless distinguished by great personal merit, find it extremely difficult to gain admission. Strangers well introduced, and of personal respectability, are received with much liberality and attention. Many of the old gentlemen were educated at English colleges, and retain something of their original attachment to the mother country, notwithstanding their sensibility to recent calumny and misrepresentation. Their manners are extremely agreeable, resembling the more polished of our country gentlemen, and are formed on the model of what in England we call "the old school." They are, however, the last of their generation, and will leave a blank much to be deplored when they pass away. The young ladies of the patrician families are delicate, refined, and intelligent, rather distant and reserved to strangers, but frank and affable to those who are familiarly introduced to them by their fathers and brothers. They go very early into company, are frequently married at sixteen or eighteen years of age, and gene rally under twenty, and have retired from the vortex of gay society, before even the fashionable part of my fair country women would formerly have entered it. They often lament that the high standard of manners to which they have been accustomed seems doomed to perish with the generation of their fathers. The fact is, that the absence of the privileges of primogeniture, and the repeated subdivision of property, are gradually effecting a change in the structure of society in South Carolina, and will shortly efface its most interesting and characteristic features. I arrived at Charleston immediately after the races, which are a season of incessant gaiety. They usually take place in February, when all the principal families visit their town-houses in Charleston, for three or four weeks, collecting from their plantations, which are at a distance of from 30 to 150 miles. During this short interval, there is a perpetual round of visits. About the beginning of March, they CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 250, return to the retirement of their plantations, often accompanied by the strangers with whom they have become acquainted. As a large proportion of the plantations are in the swamps, where a residence in the summer months would probably be fatal from a fever of a bilious nature, from which the natives themselves are not exempt, the families return about the beginning of June, to the city, where they remain till the first frost, which is looked for with great anxiety towards October. They then go back to their plantations until February. Some, instead of coming into the city in June, retire to the mountains, or to the springs of Balston and Saratoga, in the State of New York, where a large concourse of persons assemble from every part of the United States and from Canada, and by the reciprocation of civilities, and a better acquaintance with each other, gradually lose their sectional and colonial prejudices. Although these springs are from a thousand to fifteen hundred miles from the Southern States, the inhabitants of Georgia and Carolina speak of them with as much familiarity as our Londoners speak of Bath or Cheltenham. Some of the planters spend the hot months on Sullivan's Island, at the mouth of the Bay, where even strangers may generally remain with impunity. When those who decide to spend the summer in the city are once settled there, it is considered in the highest degree hazardous to sleep a single night in the country. The experiment is sometimes made, and occasionally with impunity: but all my informants concurred in assuring me that fatal consequences would generally be expected; and a most respectable friend told me, that if his family suspected him of such an intention, they would almost attempt to prevent it by actual force. The natives, however, may pass to and fro between the city and Sullivan's Island without risk. Of late years it has been 40 |