propensity. Niebuhr remarks that it is better not of the devil; and every one must acknowledge to read books in which you make acquaintance the justice of the observation. There is another excellent lesson in the Scotch proverb of the same rather objectionable form, He has need of a long spoon that would eat with the devil; that is, (as Mr. Trench explains,) men fancy they can cheat the arch-cheater, can advance in partnership with him up to a certain point, and then whenever the connection becomes too dangerous, break it off at will, being sure in this to be miserably mistaken.

to condemn those who are supposed to dwell too | It is dangerous, through folly or curiosity, to much on human depravity, and who set forth tamper with sin; especially to be curious about the greatness of the inheritance of the saints evil. Many great crimes may be traced to this in comparison with the things of the world, we cannot but recall to memory, while we acknowledge that contempt for the present state of things may be carried to excess, that the Apostles and our Lord himself speak in the strongest language of the worthlessness of the things of time; and that, though God is the rightful Ruler of the world and so it is his world, yet it is the devil's world in so far as that he holds in it a usurped authority and is called "the prince and the god" of it. The divines of the school we speak of a school which carries with it strong attractions for a We will now take our leave of Mr. Trench, certain class of minds-have, we believe, done thanking him for much both of amusement good, by showing the danger of allowing re- and instruction. We shall be very glad to see figion to degenerate into a mere selfish care him appear again as a lecturer to a class of perfor our own souls; but in so doing, they are sons on whom it is most important to exercise too apt to lose sight of the necessity of individual an influence for good, and on whom the Chrisand personal piety. Thus they are in danger tian tone and spirit of Mr. Trench's lectures of limiting their aims to the improvement of must, we think, exercise such an influence. It society on earth, instead of impressing on those is impossible for us to judge of the effect on who come under their influence the necessity of first "giving themselves to God," and then going forth to spread His Gospel in the world. With this caution, we will proceed with our lecture. First, we have proverbs relating to truth: A lie has no legs.

Prop it up as men may from without, set it on its feet again, after it has once fallen before the presence of the truth, yet, like Dagon, it will only be again to fall, and more shamefully and more irretrievably than before. And this, the vivacity of truth as contrasted with the short-lived character of the lie, is well expressed in a Swiss proverb: It takes a good many shovelfuls of earth to bury the truth. Every one knows the practical proverb: Tell the truth, and shame the devil. It is truth which demolishes the kingdom of the father of lies.

There are some proverbs anterior to the Christian dispensation, in which the highest principles may easily be traced. Love rules without law, Love rules his kingdom without a sword—are very apposite examples of this; but we find, as we might expect, the principal examples of theology in those proverbs which belong to more modern times. Some of these are very beautiful, such as: God never wounds with both hands. No cross, no crown. Every cross has its inscription. Some are remarkably like our Lord's sayings in the Gospel. No leaf moves, but God wills it. He who has to serve two masters, has to lie to one. Purchase the next world with this; so shalt thou win both.

the audience from the published addresses alone, as much must always depend on the manner of delivery. It is possible that Mr. Trench's style may be the most suitable to his delivery; but we own that, for reading, we should prefer a style somewhat less involved, and with perhaps a little more attention to harmonious arrangement. We are not fond of rounded periods, nor of periphrases to express simple things; but a writer flying from these shoals, may become harsh and uncouth, and sometimes not very easily intelligible. We think Mr. Trench is too much afraid of writing like a book, and so there is an appearance of studied baldness, and occasionally a confusion of pronouns, which makes it difficult to see exactly what he means. Some of his sentences would be heart-breaking to a foreigner; and we can testify to their sometimes severely trying a native who undertook to read the Lectures on Proverbs aloud. We are bound however to add, that he not only undertook, but accomplished his task, with great pleasure to himself and unflagging attention on the part of his audience. We do not deny that there is some use in a style which obliges the reader to go back and read over sentences two or three times. This kind of difficulty often fixes the attention, which would otherwise stray; but we think it would be very hard to prove that a man is ever justified in making himself obscure, or even in not taking all pains to make his meaning plain.

There is a class of proverbs which perhaps we must acknowledge introduce too lightly the name of the author of evil; yet they express most important truths, although these may be lost sight But we will not prolong our remarks, lest of in the ordinary use of the sayings. A strong we get into a discussion on style in general, instance of this is the common proverb: Talk of and, mounting our hobby, be carried away by the devil, and he will appear - generally used rather it. We will only wish Mr. Trench all success in a ridiculous sense, but the truth it expresses is in his future writings, whether he takes our really a rebuke to the light use of such language. advice or not.

|pacity for affairs, the power of prompt thinking, and the courage for sustained action; those genuine qualities which make (with va rious degrees of excellence) efficient rulers of mankind, are more valuable than the stimulating talents which excite crowds and inflame emotions. There are, of course, certain crises in the history of a nation when oratory will be most powerful. Patrick Henry, at the Grattan, in 1779-80,- Mirabeau, in 1789-90,

and Kossuth, in 1848-may be taken as famous instances of the inspiring powers of orators. On the other hand, we see in the contemporary history of France, how little the tongues of Berryer and Lamartine, Thiers and Guizot, have been able to accomplish. We may cite also the case of Ireland as a sugges tive instance, that though orators are powerful in raising and maintaining ferment and agita tion, their influence as social agents is destructive rather than constructive. Organization is more potent in the long run than oratory; the talent for things is more formidable than the mere genius for words.

"SPEECHES" said Charles James Fox, "are made to be spoken and not to be read," and we often thought of the great Whig statesman's sentiment while examining the rhetorical performances before us. Some of these speeches commencement of the American struggle,— have been familiar to us for years, others of them we heard delivered. In the present edition, they come before us in a revised and selected form; and the eminence of the speaker has made us examine them with attention. Their re-perusal has suggested to us the consideration of a subject which has often been mooted by thinking observers of modern social progress:-"Whether the mission of the orator has gained or lost by modern civilization?" Superficial observers might think that the orator has decidedly gained. The reprinting of his speeches and their rapid circulation through town and country, would seem at least to indicate that the power of the public speaker had been increased. But, on Possibly such considerations are not without second thoughts, another view of the case pre-effect upon the fact that the Literature_of sents itself. The press achieves its purposes" Speeches" is singularly uninteresting. Imby criticism as well as by reports-it comments mediate effect is the aim of the orator; like upon its own records-not unfrequently in its the actor, he must address the audience beleading columns it exposes the fallacious rhe- fore him, and what thrilled when spoken, fails toric, which in another page is printed and to charm on perusal. A few years roll by; interspersed with ("Tremendous cheers," - new scenes of the political drama arrest our "Enthusiastic applause"). It may have been notice, and another company of political perbut yesterday that a crowd eagerly cheered formers appeal for the public applause. Old the rolling rhetoric and excited declamation of questions have become insipid, and old modes a ranting politician. For the thousands that of thinking are voted obsolete. A new geneapplauded his fanaticism on yesterday after-ration has grown up, which wonders how its noon, there are hundreds of thousands to-day fathers and grandsires could have admired the sneering at the stilted fustian that cannot bear exertions that once gained so much applause. the critical examination of cool perusal. It may But what reads flatly to-day, was fifty years be that there is sophistry of the pen as well as ago spoken with ardor, and appealed to the of the tongue, and fallacies of journalists as well passions of millions. Human hearts were as of "orators," but the admission will not once stirred by that energetic rhetoric which alter the fact of the fleet and formidable re-now looks like mere tautology and verbiage, plies which issue from twenty popular organs and strong heads were once bewildered with before as many hours have elapsed since the that sophistry which any tyro can now detect. speaker made his harangue. "All power," What poor things, upon perusal, seem the says David Hume, "even the most despotic, speeches of the younger Pitt! how vague, rests ultimately upon opinion," and in the wordy, and ambiguous, like "a king's speech," formation of opinion" the press has become spread over three volumes! Yet, as Lord more potential than the orator. The domin- Brougham has recorded, it was impossible to ion of facts has been enlarged: the "mind's hear Pitt speak" without feeling that there eye" of millions has been opened by the influ- stood before us a ruler of the people." The ence of education, and in the present state of imposing air-the stately figure the flashSociety in advanced countries, it would be al- ing eye-the resounding voice of the Tory most impossible for "orators" to exert that leader cannot be presented to posterity along sorcery which they possessed in ancient times. with the substance of his words. Thus, it In saying this, we by no means undervalue the happens that the remark of Colley Cibber upvast power of genuine eloquence, but in or- on the fugitive bloom of histrionic laurels can der to be truly effective, an orator must have be applied to a great parliamentary speaker other qualities besides a genius for language as well as to an actor. "Pity it is that the and the command of a rhetorcian's arts. Ca-beauties of an harmonious elocution cannot,

like those of poetry, be their own record; that great services. My political hostility to him was the animated graces of an orator' can live never in the smallest degree tainted by personal no longer than the instant breath and motion ill will. After his fall from power, a cordial rethat present them, or, at best, can but faintly conciliation took place between us: I admired glimmer through the memory of a few surthe wisdom, the moderation, the disinterested paviving spectators." The literary excellence last and best years of his life; I lamented his triotism, which he invariably showed during the of Burke's "Speeches" make them exceptions untimely death, as both a private and a public to the generally insipid character of reprinted calamity; and I earnestly wished that the sharp parliamentary exercitations. But Burke's words which had sometimes been exchanged bespeeches, it is obvious, were composed to be tween us might be forgotten." read; and we know that some of them, in delivery, wearied the hearers, and were confirmatory of the sentiment of Mr. Fox, already quoted. But, from these general reflections we turn to the special qualities of the speeches before us.

Mr. Macaulay then proceeds to notice the compilers of Mr. Vizetelly's edition :

Unhappily an act, for which the law affords no redress, but which I have no hesitation in proOur readers are aware that we declined to nouncing a gross injury to me and a gross fraud criticize, at length, the speeches of Mr. Ma- on the public, has compelled me to do what I caulay in the former shape. We noticed, should never have done willingly. A bookseller, even in a cursory inspection of them, the named Vizetelly, who seems to aspire to that sort careless manner in which that edition was and twenty years ago, thought fit, without asking of distinction which Curll enjoyed a hundred brought before the public. The fact of the my consent, without even giving me any notice, publication, induced Mr. Macaulay to bring to announce an edition of my Speeches, and was out the present edition; to which he has pre-not ashamed to tell the world in his advertisefixed a Preface, in which he bitterly com- ment that he published them by special license. plains of the manner in which he has been When the book appeared, I found that it contreated. We noticed, ourselves, that amongst tained fifty-six speeches, said to have been delivthe reasons why a public speaker might not ered by me in the House of Commons. Of these wish to reprint his speeches would be the fact speeches, a few were reprinted from reports which of personal friendship having subsequently the Parliamentary Debates; and were therefore, I had corrected for the Mirror of Parliament, or arisen between himself and the object of with the exception of some errors of the pen and former invectives, and we find Mr. Macau- the press, correctly given. The rest bear scarcely lay striking on that chord in the very first the faintest resemblance to the speeches which I paragraph of his Preface. We must place it before our readers, as it contains a verdict (which, we suppose, may be accepted as "historical") on the character of the late Sir Robert Peel:·

really made. The substance of what I said is perpetually misrepresented. The connection of the arguments is altogether lost. Extravagant blunders are put into my mouth in almost every page. An editor who was not grossly ignorant would have perceived that no person to whom the House It was most reluctantly that I determined to of Commons would listen could possibly have suspend, during the last autumn, a work which is been guilty of such blunders. An editor who had the business and pleasure of my life, in order to the smallest regard for truth, or for the fame prepare these Speeches for publication; and it is of the person whose speeches he had undertaken most reluctantly that I now give them to the to publish, would have had recourse to the variworld. Even if I estimated their oratorical merit ous sources of information which were readily much more highly than I do, I should not wil- accessible, and, by collating them, would have lingly have revived, in the quiet times in which produced a book which would at least have conwe are so happy as to live, the memory of those tained no absolute nonsense. But I have unforfierce contentions in which too many years of my tunately had an editor whose only object was to public life were passed. Many expressions which, make a few pounds, and who was willing to sawhen society was convulsed by political dissension, crifice to that object my reputation and his own. and when the foundations of government were He took the very worst report extant, compared shaking, were heard by an excited audience with it with no other report, removed no blemish howsympathy and applause, may, now that the pas-ever obvious or however ludicrous, gave to the sions of all parties have subsided, be thought in-world some hundreds of pages utterly contemptemperate and acrimonious. It was especially tible both in matter and manner, and prefixed my painful to me to find myself under the necessity name to them. The least that he should have of recalling to my own recollection, and to the done was to consult the files of the Times newsrecollection of others, the keen encounters which paper. I have frequently done so when I have took place between the late Sir Robert Peel and noticed in his book any passage more than ordimyself. Some parts of the conduct of that emi- narily absurd; and I have almost invariably found nent man I must always think deserving of seri- that, in the Times newspaper, my meaning had ous blame. But, on a calm review of his long and been correctly reported, though often in words checkered public life, I acknowledge, with sincere different from those which I had used. I could pleasure, that his faults were much more than re-fill a volume with instances of the injustice with deemed by great virtues, great sacrifices, and which I have been treated.

A Memoir of Richard Williams, Surgeon, Cate-
chist to the Patagonian Missionary Society in
Terra del Fuego. By James Hamilton, D. D.
Nisbet & Co.

To a considerable extent we sympathize | eral of his electioneering addresses, though with Mr. Macaulay; but the above passage is interesting, are not here reprinted, and one of rather undignified in its tone, for one occupy- his juvenile exercitations at Freemasons' Hall ing his distinguished station. It smacks too is also left out. The difference between the two strongly of altercation, and Mr. Macaulay editions is this-that Mr. Vizetelly's publicaseems to forget that he is not the first, any tion contains more matter,- but incorrectly more than he will be the last, eminent man reported, and that the volume before us, subjected to this annoyance. Unauthorized correct as far as it goes, cannot be accepted editions of the speeches of the great orators of as an entire presentation of Mr. Macaulay's the last century were for years in circulation. oratorical performances. Enough, however, We do not know that Sheridan or Curran is given to supply matter for a critical examcorrected any of their published speeches, up-ination of his eloquence, a task which we on which their fame as orators depends. In may probably attempt on a future occasion. point of fact it savors strongly of egotism to reprint speeches; and some public men are not anxious to have their exact words reported. The curious in these matters will find an instance in the preface to the six-volume edition of Canning's Speeches. At the time of the Reform Bill, a first class political celebrity THE sad history of the ill-judged Expedition (since deceased) made a great speech, of of Capt. Gardiner is here brought again bewhich he undertook to supply a report to a fore us, in the biography of one of his comparticular journal. On the report being fur-panions. Mr. Williams was a young surgeon, nished to the office, a reporter compared the practising his profession, apparently with constatesman's copy with his stenographic notes, siderable success, at Burslem in Staffordshire, and declared to his editor that the right honorable speaker's copy was "decidedly doctor"Print according to your notes," was the editor's instruction: and vehement was the orator's wrath on finding himself fastened down to the very words which he had actually employed, but which he wished to have forgotten. Lord Lyndhurst, possibly, would not like to reprint his "Alien" speech.

ed."

and doing the work of a home-missionary amongst his patients. Warm-hearted and impulsive, he longed to carry forth, into some new and larger field, the good tidings of Christianity. Attracted by an advertisement of Capt. Gardiner's meditated Expedition, he offered to accompany the mission as a catechist, and was accepted. In haste and excitement, he abandoned everything which he possessed :— pracTo apply these remarks to the case before tice, friends, country; and went forth with us, the matter as relating to Mr. Macaulay little inquiry, without knowledge of his comseems to stand thus. It appears in his own panions or their plan,- but with a firm perwords, that he "would not have wished to suasion that it was the will of Heaven that he revive the memory of fierce contentions," and should go, and that all the counter-suggestions we may presume, therefore, that he would not of prudence were sinister promptings of the of his own will, have reprinted his speeches. tempter. The little party of seven worthy but We are told that the unauthorized edition misguided men sailed from Liverpool, on the was often incorrect and unworthy of the 7th of September, 1850, in a ship bound for speaker's fame; but we are presented with California. From that time, Mr. Williams's the volume before us, when the question aris- diary furnishes the materials for the present es, "Can these be accepted as Mr. Macaulay's work. He thus characteristically records his Speeches?" first sight of the people who were the object of the mission:

To that, we must answer, only partly so. The volume should be printed with its last sentence as an epigraph on the title-page-" For About nine, whilst drifting on past Picton myself, I hope that I am both a Liberal and a Island, we observed lying off Garden Island three Conservative politician," etc. etc. We find canoes, which presently put off to us, each one omitted from this volume any reference to containing a Fuegian and his family, more or less those highly effective speeches in which Mr. numerous. In each there were two women, and Macaulay criticized (to use no harsher word), children; in one, an infant at the breast; in anthe conduct of Sir James Graham, and the other, a poor decrepit old man. While scarcely Foreign Office presided over by the present discernible with the naked eye, we heard their Prime Minister, in reference to Post-Office es-stentorian voices, shouting "Yammer schooner" pionage. We miss also his well-known speech their voice. As they severally hove in sight, they [Give me]:-amazing, indeed, is the power of in 1833 on the Irish Coercion Bill, and also his speech advocating the Ballot in 1839-the markable expression, one man in particular being gesticulated and shouted with every wild and refirst oration which he delivered in the House very garrulous, and full of vivacity, The impres of Commons after his return from India. Sev-sion they made on my mind, as they became dis

tinctly seen, first by the telescope, and afterwards

The extent of the danger in which the misby the naked eye, is one which can never be ef- sionaries had involved themselves became at faced. It seemed incredible they could be human once apparent. Unable to communicate with beings. You observed a lopsided, strange, uncouth these ferocious barbarians, of whose language thing on the water, not to be called a boat, and not realizing our ideas of a canoe; but so deep, Capt. Gardiner and his party were totally igthat just the heads of the Fuegians could be seen norant, and equally unable to defend themin it. As these dark masses of hair, like so many selves against a multitude, the little missionary mops, drew nearer, we were able to discern the band betook themselves to a couple of decked features, which were, indeed, surprising to us. boats, which they had brought out with them. On a nearer inspection, however, I could trace in Williams's diary explains how they were many of them, indeed I may say in all, the line- hunted by the natives from cove to cove. At aments of the noblest humanity, and features ex-length they were able to moor, at the mouth pressive of benevolence and generosity, though, of Cook's River, unperceived. There other as it were, buried deep in deplorable ignorance enemies assaulted them. Their stores were and abject want. One woman had a remarkably soon exhausted. With the inconsiderate folly prepossessing countenance, very open and cheer- which marked their conduct throughout, they ful; so also had one of the men; and he often, had left their provision of powder behind them in our after intercourse, laughed heartily. I had taken some comfort to my mind, from the favor- in the ship. Birds and animals were beyond able aspect which the islands around us, particu- their reach, and fish - on a supply of which larly Picton and Garden Islands, presented; but Capt. Gardiner had relied-there were none. now my heart swelled with emotion, full of plea- Scurvy ensued, and Mr. Williams's diary desure and satisfaction that our errand was for the scribes the approach of the fearful end with purpose of imparting benefits so great and so painful minuteness. Some of the party surmuch needed to these poor creatures. I hailed vived until September. In October, the bodies the prospect with a degree of rapture. of four of them were found and committed to Perhaps in the history of mankind there has the earth by persons sent out to search for them. never occurred an instance of benevolent folly more nearly incredible. Certainly the present The natives soon came round them importu-publication is not calculated to lessen our asnately, but the first party were good-tem- tonishment that seven reasonable men should pered or cowardly, and their impertinence have been found so utterly infatuated, or that was readily parried. In a few days, they were a joined by a band of wild savages of the Yacuna tribe from Navarin Island, whose roughness was not so easily repelled.

On the 5th of December, the day to which the passage just quoted refers, the missionaries landed and constructed a rude habitation.

We were immediately sensible that they were altogether a different people from the others. Their faces were quite blackened over, and they were sturdy and audacious in their bearing, and as we soon found, impudent and uncontrollable. Unlike the former, they were ready to resent every refusal of their importunate demands, and resisted our endeavors to keep them in check, looking at us with a most contemptuous and malign expression, and, by their demeanor, plainly bespeaking mischief. They were very well made, and, but for the diabolical passions expressed in their countenances, really good-looking men. Like the others, they had the crown of the head cropped close, and the fore part like a circlet of long hair hanging over the face. Like the others, too, they were perfectly naked, except the guanaco skin, which hung loosely over their shoulders and back, and which they occasionally folded together around their arms. Each wore a necklace made of small shells. With five of these men around us, prying into everything, the other three having now put on a less pacific deportment, and almost entering our tent by force, our situation was not agreeable. It required all our vigilance to watch their motions; and, from their whispering together, and their bold attempts to look into our tents, we suspected that they were concocting some plan of attack.

in their melancholy disregard of all considera board of managers should have assisted them tions of prudence and practical wisdom.

DARIEN EXPEDITION. The Darien ShipCanal Expedition is appointed to sail on the 17th inst., and will consist, on the part of the Atlantic and Pacific Junction Company, of Dr. Cullen as pioneer; Messrs. Gisborne, Forde, and Bennett, and four assistant-engineers, who will be accompanied by Capt. Collinson, R. E., and Lieut. Singen, R. E., on behalf of the British Government, and will rendezvous at Jamaica with Lt. Strange, U.S. Navy, and the surveying party under his command, on board the U.S. sloop of war Cyane, Capt. Holmes, which will be joined at Port Royal by H. M. surveying-ship Scorpion, and another British man-of-war, and by a French man-of-war from Martinique; and the squadron will then proceed to Caledonia Bay, on the Atlantic Coast of Darien, whence the surveying parties will cross the Isthmus to the River Savana and the Gulf of San Miguel, where a man-of-war from the Pacifie Station will be ready to receive them. They will thence commence a detailed survey of the route, from whence their return may be expected about the 1st of May next.-Home News.

The Northern Correspondent of the Morning Chronicle mentions that "Hamlet," in a Swedish translation, was the other day performed, for the first time, in Stockholm.