much misery among mankind as any other cause whatever.* When the charge of bigotry is brought against the spirit of exclusiveness just described, it is fully deserved; such an attempt upon the freedom of the intellect ought to be manfully resisted. Such a man is a BIGOT; such a course of conduct is BIGOTRY. But, unfortunately, this use of the terms is not always maintained; they are applied to those, whose only fault is a conscientious adherence to their own sentiments.

It must be admitted by all, that every thinking being should have some fixed principles, by which the general conduct should be regulated. Hence it happens that men of no party, seldom command respect. We cannot do our duty to God, to society, or to ourselves, without forming some decision on those great points, which are agitated by mankind. When our decision is formed, it should be acted upon. The most rigid adherence to these conscientious convictions, cannot be blamed as involving a spirit of bigotry. On the contrary, those who are most strenuous in the maintenance of principles or practices, which they have received as true, by long and studious reflection, will honour an opponent, who, by the same course, has arrived at different results.

Let it be our endeavour to give these views of bigotry a practical application, in our intercourse with men of varying opinions. We feel convinced, that the public mind needs

How early did the spirit of bigotry and imposition begin to work in the Christian Church! that fatal humour of imposing a yoke on the neck of Christ's disciples, by making indifferent things necessary! An unmanly and unchristian disposition, which has almost ever since been reading the Church to pieces, and clamorously throwing the blame on those who have been desirous, on principles truly evangelical, to stand fast in the liberty with which their Divine Master hath made them free. How foolish, and how mischievous the error of making terms of communion, which Christ has never made! and how presumptuous the arrogance of invading his throne, to pronounce from thence damnatory sentences on those who will not, who dare not, submit to our uncom missioned, and usurped authority." [Doddridge.

to be impressed with the importance of this subject. In the conduct of Elections, that man must be blind, who is not convinced that all parties have bigots. In questions regarding ecclesiastical matters, also, the disputants of both sides may learn moderation. As we wish to be left in the free exercise of our consciences ourselves, let us give the same privilege to others. Thus, out of our friendly differences, the truth will ultimately proceed, and the odious charge of bigotry will not be brought against us.

THE PAINTED PROW.

Written on reading that a large portion of a vessel was cast ashore during a storm, on the coast of Margate.

THE painted prow on the shore was hurled,
Of the raging and wintry sea;

From a ship just torn, which with sails unfurled,
Once rode on in strength and glee.

Oh whence hast thou come, thou relic sad,

Of some wild calamity?

Ere the furious blast had wrought its last,
What thou sawest declare to me.

"I saw them smile, and I heard their joy,
Who embarked on the ocean wide;

And they knew no fear, till the storm drew near,
And waves dashed on every side.

"O pale was each face, on which the ray
Of the lightning gleamed fearfully;

And they kneeled to pray, and did wish for the day,
Which they never again should see.

"Oh ask me no more of what then befel ;-
Thro' the heavens the thunder rolled;
And it sounded their knell, and I come to tell
That the sea doth their corpses hold."

6

THE PICTORIAL BIBLE.

EVERY observer of the state of literature in this country must have been struck with the relation which has recently been instituted between [the fine arts, and editions of the Holy Scriptures. We can all recollect the decorations of the family Bibles of our youth, and the impression they produced; but the dear, and cherished preposessions of infancy cannot make us blind to the faults which adhered to these embellishments of the sacred volume.*

It is not the union of mere engravings with the text of the Bible, which is now the subject of our remark, but of art, or mechanical skill regulated by delicate taste, and cultivated judgement.

The splendid work of Macklin, has, perhaps, been seen by but few of our readers. In its execution, every thing which lavish expenditure could procure was attained, but it is necessarily confined to a select class of society. The present period is distinguished by numerous attempts to illustrate the Bible in a manner which puts the productions of genius within the reach of all. Among them, the Pictorial Bible, we conceive, will occupy a conspicuous place.

It is pleasing to see the revelations of heaven, obtaining, in one respect, that attention which ought never to be withheld. We cannot but prophesy happy results from the acquaintance with the inspired records, which their frequent embellishment must produce. A volume, whose adornment is thought worthy of the concentrated efforts of genius and learning, may, we should suppose, have admirers, whose study of its contents, will no longer expose them to the charge of fanaticism. Whatever differences of opinion may exist, as to the influence which the Holy Scriptures should exert upon our sentiments and practice, we hope there will, in

The writer has a copy of the New Testament, in which the devils, with wings and forked tails, are represented as forcing themselves down the throats of the swine!

future, be none, as to the propriety of making ourselves familiar with its contents.

But the Bible must not be regarded as a mere literary production, and it is on this subject, that the works we are noticing should be accompanied with remonstrance and caution. As a collection of historical documents, of fine strains of poetry and eloquence, or of exalted morality, the Holy Scriptures must force their way. Their claims to approbation and esteem can only be questioned by those who are willing to incur the charge of ignorance, as the penalty of neglect. But the literary beauties of the Old and New Testaments, form the smallest items in the estimation which should be formed of their value, and we fear, lest in the prominence given unto them, their other, and superior attractions, should be kept out of sight,

The accompaniments of art then successfully aid the cause of revealed religion, when they elucidate that which is obscure, bring hidden beauties into notice, and assist those convictions and emotions which it is intended to produce. Thus, the scenes of the land of Canaan, faithfully drawn, should lead us to serious meditation on that divine guidance, by which the Israelites were favoured. Objects of natural history should point out to us how consistent is the study of the works of creation, with that of revealed truth. The delineation of the sufferings of the Redeemer, should lead us to cultivate a deeper affection for Him, who sacrificed every thing for us. In this manner we shall really profit by that which is so eminently calculated to please.

The work which has led to these observations, is quite novel in its execution. The engravings, which are on wood, are beautiful specimens of the art, and are mingled with the text as the subjects require their insertion. Landscapes, natural productions, and drawings of historical events by the first masters, meet the eye in rich profusion. The notes appear to be selected by one fully competent to the task, and throw light on many difficult passages. From the two parts already published, we extract the following, to enable our readers to form an estimate of the whole.

"Gen. xvi. 12. A wild man.' The original has here a force which is lost in the translation. The word rendered 'wild' (phera) in every other passage where it occurs, denotes a wild ass. It is, therefore, obviously intended, by the use of so unusual a phrase, which may be rendered 'A wild ass man,' to indicate an analogy between the wildness of Ishmael and his descendants, and that of a wild ass. Now, if we turn to Job, xxxix. 5-8, we find a splendid description of the habits of the wild ass; and it is equally curious and surprising, to trace there, how minutely the description applies to the free, wandering, lawless, pastoral, marauding, town-hating Bedouins, the descent of some of whose tribes from Ishmael is admitted by others, and gloried in by themselves. Even in the ordinary sense of the epithet, 'wild,' there is no people to whom it can be applied with more propriety, than to the Arabs, whether used in reference to their character, modes of life, or place of habitation."

"xli. 14.

He shaved himself.'-This is what we should probably do on a similar occasion; but, carefully considered, this is one of many passages, in which the truth of the scripture narrative is attested by an incidental and slight allusion to remarkable customs, which no mere inventor would think of noticing, or notice, without explaining. Shaving was a remarkable custom of the Egyptians, in which they were distinguished from other oriental nations, who carefully cherished the beard, and regarded the loss of it as a deep disgrace. That this was the feeling of the Hebrews, we shall frequently Lave occasion to observe; but, here, Joseph shaves himself, in conformity with an Egyptian usuage, of which this passage conveys the earliest intimation; but which is confirmed, not only by the subsequent accounts of Greek and Roman writers; but by the ancient sculptures and paintings of Egypt, in which the male figure is usually beardless."

"xliii. 11. Nuts.'-The nuts here spoken of, were the Pistachio nuts, produced by one of the terebinthaceous trees, once peculiar to Syria, Pistacia vera, from whence it was brought into Europe, by Lucius Vitellius, Governor of Syria, and since that, spread over the Mediterranean. The nuts are about the size of a hazle-nut, covered exteriorly by a greenish flesh, which places the fruit among the drupaceous kind. The meat, which is of a green color, covered with a red film of great firmness, is soft, oily, and very agreable to the taste, having much resemblance to the sweet almond in flavour. The leaves are placed in pairs, upon a common foot-stalk, and are egg-shaped, and pointed. The tree, when laden with clusters of ripe nuts, which are of a pale, blushing hue, makes a fine appearance; but at other times it is far from being handsome, since the branches are crooked, and ramify in a rude and irregular manner. In this last particular, it resembles the balm of Gilead tree. The sloping hills, south and south-west of Aleppo, are laid out in vineyards, olive plantations, and fig gardens, where the Pistachio nut-tree finds a place among the varied assemblage."