tainty; and those who are willing to find an excuse for not giving any thing, find it in this. But the proper effect of it is to lead us to the dwelling of the poor to ascertain the facts by our own observation. It is obvious, too, that in this way, and in this way alone, the great evil of begging and vagrancy is to be suppressed.* Because then the inequalities of life are of God's appointment and therefore necessary; because, by the same divine hand, all his rational offspring are bound together by close and indissoluble ties; because one important final end of these inequalities and these ties is mutual aid and mutual improvement; because this aid and this improvement cannot be rendered and received but by personal intercourse, we infer this personal intercourse is a duty of perfect moral obligation. But upon whom does the duty rest? Upon all, upon all, obviously, who can bestow this personal attention, and render it available in alleviating human wretchedness; but especially and imperatively upon those who have the greatest power to aid. This is their high and peculiar obligation and privilege, since it remains with them to say whether such an intercourse shall subsist or not. And it is their duty and privilege for another reason, namely, that the claims of this active benevolence are precisely commensurate with the means of doing good. Hence those whom God has made the stewards of his richer bounties, instead of considering wealth, and rank, and influence, and leisure, and refinement as affording an excuse for neglecting a personal intercourse with the poor, should see in these very circumstances a more imperious obligation to cultivate and pursue it. And if these pages meet the eye of any who are accustomed to sit quietly at home, and wait until the claims of the wretched are presented, and then imagine that these claims are fulfilled by the bestowment of a pittance spared from their superfluous wealth, and who deem it a sufficient excuse for doing nothing, that these claims are not thus presented; we beg leave seriously to remind them, that they have sadly mistaken the prerogatives of their favored sphere. There is nothing in their wealth or station which excuses them, more than others, * See the book under remark, Chapter VIII, for an enlightened view of this subject. from the duties of an active benevolence; but, on the contrary, every thing in both, to render these duties more pressing and imperious; and whatever apologies others may find in straitened circumstances, over-occupation, and grinding toil, for neglecting of the great duty of "going about doing good," they have none such to plead. But the duty is, by no means, confined to them. The opportunities of doing good by a personal attention and by personal efforts are immeasurably greater than is ordinarily supposed. However narrow may be our resources, though we have little or nothing else to bestow, yet we may give to the wretched our time, our presence, our labor, our advice, our sympathy, our consolation. Those conversant with the chambers of sickness know, that there are a thousand little offices, most soothing and sustaining to the sufferer, which are wholly independent of wealth in the bestowment. We may manifest our kindness and good will towards him; we may speak words of solace; we may anticipate his wants; we may smooth his weary pillow; we may read his wishes in his languid gaze; we may interpret the uncertain movements of his restless frame; we may be as ministering angels to his afflicted spirit; we may lead his wayward musings to great and sustaining truths; we may direct his wavering opinions to the right results; we may point out the beneficent leadings of God's providence; we may call to mind the blessings yet reserved to him; we may give to him lessons of contentment, of resignation, of reliance upon God; we may enable him to reap the blessings of affliction; we may direct his thoughts to the Saviour's cross, and lead forward his aspirations to the final acceptance of his Father in heaven. And are not these acts of loving favor which are better than silver and gold? They are unostentatious, indeed; they confer no distinction; the frivolous and the over busy know not of them: but they sink deep into the heart of the sufferer; they are known and registered in heaven, and will be remembered there. The widow's mite was valued, by him who knew the true value of things, above the richest offerings of the rich. He has taught us, too, that if we do what we may, we do what is required; and that a cup of cold water given in his blessed spirit, shall contribute to the purchase of the Christian's crown. How beautiful and how VOL. XIII. - N. S. VOL. VIII. NO. II. 21 true is the sentiment of Wordsworth; that while There are other uses of the inequalities of life viewed in reference to the intimate relations of the great family of man, on which it makes no part of our present purpose to dilate. It is sufficiently obvious from what has been said, that they are a part of the designs of our common Father, and intended for beneficent purposes. Like the natural inequalities of the earth's surface, they introduce variety, beauty, and healthfulness, where, otherwise, there would be a dead, unwholesome level. The higher places of society, as they catch more of the floating blessings of divine goodness, are intended to become fountains and reservoirs of refreshment for the parched and thirsty plains beneath. Let the doubter and caviller, who is disposed to see in them marks and proofs of the caprice or favoritism of Providence, learn to take wider and more comprehensive views of their connexions with all things else, and he will perceive, to borrow an elevated thought and expression from the author before us, "there is nothing wanting, but that man should coöperate in the accomplishment of designs, which the believing are allowed progressively to understand, though the Infinite mind alone could originate them." We here take leave of the subject; and have little to add respecting the book before us. If we can induce our readers to read it for themselves, the great object of these remarks will be answered. We do not feel ourselves called upon to speak particularly of the literary merit of the original or of the translation. We deem this, and we have not rightly divined the spirit either of the author or of the translator, if they themselves do not consider it a subject of very secondary importance. We may briefly observe, however, that the style of this treatise has the same prevailing characteristics which mark the other publications of Degerando. It is distinguished by great freedom and ease of movement, an almost colloquial vivacity, entire purity of diction, a practised elegance, frequent felicity of phrase, an occasional vagueness of language if not of thought, and an extreme refinement of remark; and all this is pervaded and inspired by a high tone of moral sentiment, by a deep interest in his subject, and by a spirit of true Christian philanthropy. The translator, without aiming at literal correctness, has transferred much of this into her pages, and has presented an unembarrassed, sufficiently faithful, and, on the whole, a felicitous transcript of the original. Both have labored worthily in the best of causes, and it now remains for the public duly to appreciate their services. ART. II.-1. Sacred Poetry and Music reconciled; or a Collection of Hymns original and compiled, intended to secure, by the simplest and most practicable Means, an invariable Coincidence between the Poetic and the Musical Emphases, and thus to combine the two Powers for the high Purpose of Religious Impression; to which are added several Chants for Hymns and Select Scriptures, with a simple Notation, adapted to the general Design. By SAMUEL WILLARD, D. D., A. A. S. Boston. Leonard C. Bowles. 1830. 18mo. pp. 360. 2. Church Psalmody; a Collection of Psalms and Hymns, adapted to Public Worship. Selected from Dr. Watts and other Authors. Boston. Perkins & Marvin. 1831. 18mo. pp. 576. 3. A Collection of Hymns for the Use of Unitarian Christians, in Public Worship, and in the Private Culture of the Religious Affections. Bristol, [England.] Brown & Reid. 1831. 24mo. SINGING the praises of God, uniting the powerful influences of music with the deep sentiments of devotion in one act of worship, has always been considered an important part of the services of the sanctuary. The beauty and fitness of this union has been felt, not only by the Jewish and the Christian churches, but by all mankind, in all ages. It is one of those universal perceptions, in which Jew and Gentile, Christian and Heathen have agreed, as in an expression of their common nature. The importance of this act of worship being unquestionable, it necessarily follows, that every improvement in the mode of performing it, every circumstance which tends to heighten its dignity and impressiveness, and make it a worthy exercise of the human soul in its intercourse with the Father of Spirits, is of essential advantage to the effect of the whole of divine service, and to the great cause of religion. We do not mean to say, however, that in all cases it is necessary that exquisite poetry and excellent music should be joined together, in order that the proper devotional effect be produced, or devotional feeling be warmly and acceptably expressed. In days when the Psalms of Sternhold and Hopkins were thought good poetry by the majority of those who used them in the English churches, and who felt no longing for better, the praise of God was worthily sung in the use of that version. And so in places where musical taste is not much refined or cultivated, a description of tunes, and a manner of singing them, may be highly enjoyed, and prove greatly edifying, which elsewhere would be calculated to destroy, rather than enliven religious sensibilities. These facts do not at all disturb, they only support the proposition, that the poetry and the music employed in church psalmody should, to a very considerable degree at least, meet the taste and intellect of the worshippers, and that every step taken toward this end is an improvement and a blessing, inasmuch as the devotional feelings of men cannot be suitably affected, when their taste and intellect are outraged and offended. There are some men, men well endowed, too, in other respects, who seem to be born with little or no sensibility to music of any kind. Such instances, however, are rare. The great mass of mankind are keenly alive to it, can be powerfully acted upon by it, and through its aid can act powerfully upon themselves. Hence its use and its efficacy, in conjunction with poetry of corresponding merit, in the services of God's house; and hence the necessity of paying attention to its character and improvement, if we would make those services what they ought to be. The effect of sweet psalmody on the mind and heart, especially on the young mind and heart, is so great, that it can hardly be overrated. At an early period in life, it is, perhaps, the only part of divine service which is strongly affecting. This is so evidently the case, that we wonder it has not been more attended to, in its bearing on the interest of domestic as well as public worship. Wherever family prayer is observed, and there is, at the same time, any love of music, and capacity and means of making it, we are con |