an advocate for immorality: God Non hydra secto corpore firmior As fast as you banish the misguided O smile, ye college powers! Ye tutors wan, Ye blighting proctors, spare his balmy prime: Nor lessen of his joys the little span: Born on the swift, though silent wings of time, Old age comes on apace to ravage all the clime. You will anticipate a somewhat similar defence with respect to many other charges, which are brought against the University; such as loose conversation, drink ing, gaming, hunting, going to New market, &c. &c. I class them all together, partly because the day is clearing up, and partly because a few words will suffice in reply. We are the sons of women, Mr. Editor, and youth will account and apologize for the whole. As to conversation, young men cannot be talking at all times about the flight of old. Helen, and the variation of centripetal forces: there are many subjects around them quite as pleasant as the dead wife of Menelaus, and far more attractive than gravity. And if in the hey-day and ebullition of animal spirits, they should occasionally use a strong intensitive by way of giving point to a period, or confirmation to a fact, is this to be called swearing? Are young persons of liberal and generous hearts to be schooled with the precision of Quakers?-But they drink and they dine! Sir, I like not the system which forbids drinking and dining. There is classical authority for both. If, indeed, habits of drunkenness were superinduced, that would alter the question; but I cannot allow an occasional and unintentional deviation from the strict rule of sobriety, to be plead ed as an argument for the prohibition of wine. The spirit of conviviality is a good spirit, and has no necessary connexion with intemperance and if cases of excess do sometimes occur, what is there in the world which is not liable to abuse? A fowling-piece will occasionally explode; but he must be a sturdy logician, who would on such grounds debar me from the use of my gun. The truth is, that with common attention on the part of the ruling powers, habits of drinking in the University can never be excessive. There is a test (at least in the larger colleges) which is de cisive, and which must soon put an end to the system. Go, for example, into the chapel of St. John's on a Sunday night. Look around you while the organ is playing: the music operates as effectually upon the unhappy transgressor, as a dose of red-water on an African wizard: and if at other times be could stand as firm as Helvellyn, he will now begin "to bow upon his base," and describe curves of I know not how many orders, with a grace and execution which Bacchus alone could impart. The dean, therefore, is furnished at once with a test of sobriety, which it is impossible to elude: and as he would doubtless put a stop to irregularities, the fair inference is, that they seldom occur. Instead of declaiming, therefore, about this dinner, and that meeting of a club, I would rather inquire, how many under-graduates have, in the course of the term, been chased out of the chapel, and not exactly in right lines, by the deep base of the organ? From this number, I would subtract every man who has an antipathy to music; every one who is affected with nervous head. aches; every freshman, since he is probably unseasoned; and every other individual who can be proved not to have exceeded his bottle: for a man is not to be condemned on account of the weakness of his head, but for his indulgence in ex cess. The offence, at any rate, is venial: it indicates no malice, no wilful insubordination, no disposition to moroseness; it arises chief ly from a generous elevation of mind, and the love of conviviality. I consider it, Mr. Editor, as an evil sign, when you hear a person declaim violently against what he is pleased to call intoxication. It is a known principle in human nature, that we condemn most severely the very fault to which we are ourselves most particularly addicted; and although one writer on this subject declares, that during the days of his under-graduateship, he was a stranger to the juice of the grape, I should look not without suspicion upon a dean or a tutor, who visited with much harshness the festive frolics of youth. And with regard to hunting, Newmarket, &c. &c., where is the young man that does not delight in these things, and what is the mischief of them? Your correspondent would see no harm in the fact Gaudet equis canibusque et aprici gramine campi. The charge of gaming I admit to be of a more serious description : but in this, as in most things, the evil lies not in the act itself, but in the excessive way in which some persons choose to follow the amusement. I believe with your "North Countryman," that this is not one of the crying sins of Cambridge; and that it would be both impolitic and absurd to prohibit it by severe enactments. For what can tend more to brighten the intellects, and to strengthen the rea soning faculty, than a good rubber at whist? Why is a man to read the doctrine of chances, if he is never to verify his conclusious in practice? To what purpose does he labour through the proposition, "how to hit a given mark," but that, like myself, he may declare war against the birds of the air, and the beasts of the field? How strange would it seem in a grave lecturer to say, "Now, gentlemen, I will explain to you the nature of projectiles; but wo betide you, if you presume to reduce theory to Sparsisse nocturno cruore Ideal edifices. Agreeing with him that no case has been made out to warrant such a lavish expenditure of brick and mortar, I fear, nevertheless, that his reply is not quite conclusive. The colleges, to which he alludes, are, doubtless, the rival foundations of St. John's and Trinity and, as each of them has a great deal of spare ground, an enemy might suggest that no difficulty could exist in finding a commodious site. Neither would money be wanting; for many builders would be ready to undertake the work without any hazard of expense to the colleges: the high reputation in which they are deservedly held would be deemed a sufficient guarantee for their future prosperity. But there are other objections. Why are those beautiful walks to be destroyed, or even damaged, on account of mischiefs which are merely ideal? Wherefore is the repose of these venerable establishments to be thus invaded? What union can there be between the disciples of the Muses and the antediluvian offspring of TubalCain? If it be true, as Cicero somewhere tells us, that the laws themselves are silent amidst the din of arms, how is the still voice of Science to be heard among these builders of Babel? With what spirit can Philosophy attempt to soar upward to the stars, when in danger, on the first flapping of her wings, to be brought down by a brick-bat? Not many years have elapsed since the building of a few curing-houses on the west of Ireland frightened away the herrings from the coast. And is Urania to be suspected of possessing less delicacy than a fish? Sad, indeed, will be the day when the order goes forth to invade with rude axes these beloved retreats! The very idea of such profanation is sufficient to make the blood of a Cantab boil within him against the author of the proposal. Illum et parentis crediderim sui Hospitis. The glory of the University is most Classibus hic locus; hic acie certare The first blow of the woodman will, like the wand of an eastern enchanter, lay all the honours of Cambridge in dust: her sun will set in darkness, and it will set for ever. In the very anticipation of that hour, Ev'n now, methinks, as pondering here I stand, I see Cam's frighted genius leave the His ancient empire haste to swift decay, away. I am, &c. A DEVONSHIRE SQUIRE. P.S. Before dispatching my letter, I have shewn it to a grave friend, who tells me that all my arguments will be taken on the contrary side. He also thinks me too flippant, as he calls it; and does not scruple to say that my reasonings about beauty, &c. &c. are very idle and inapplicable, as concerns the vindication of the University. Well, sir, good or bad, I take the risk of them upon myself, and shall be glad if graver persons will defend the cause better. I am merely shewing why good fellows like my self do not disapprove of the pre sent discipline. Perhaps some other correspondent may bring arguments on the same side, more adapted to the way of thinking of your readers than my friend seems to imagine mine to be. REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Sermons. By the Rev. JOHN VENN, M.A. Rector of Clapham, 3 vols. Vol. III. London: Hatchard, and Rivingtons. 1818. pp. xii. and 420. THE hopes, which we expressed near four years ago, (vol. for 1815, p. 43,) that the editors of the two former volumes of Mr. Venn's sermons would favour the public with a sequel, have not been disappointed. The third volume is every way worthy of its precursors. The same fidelity in the exhibition of Christian doctrine, the same humility in the statement of it, the same honest skill in the interpretation of Scripture, the same sagacity in penetrating the motives which hinder men from receiving its testimony, the same persuasive kindness in directing their search to better principles and higher hopes, the same sobriety of judgment and solemnity of manner, with the same occasional sublimity of conception, and (we may add) the same spirituality of mind, that seems to rise above the world by its own buoyancy, and in its proper motion to ascend Up to its native seat, may be traced in this volume as in the others; and we even doubt, whether, in some of the sermons, the mind and character of the author be not discerned more clearly and fully than before. The work before us is well adapted to meet and correct the mistakes of reasoning and reflecting men on the subject of religion. It is evidently addressed to cultivated minds, and presupposes in most cases a train of thinking, by no means common among the uneducated classes of society. But we scarcely know a book, which we could more satisfactorily recommend to those leaders of parties in the present day, who are noted for doctrinal extravagance, or of which we could say with better hope of success, Sunt certa piacula, quæ te, Ter pure lecto,poterunt recreare,libello. Still, though few works are written in a spirit better calculated to repress the intemperance of party, Mr. Venn certainly did not write for leaders of parties any more than he sought himself to lead them. His aim was rather to ba nish error than to expose it, and, without calling any man master, to build up his hearers in the truth. Accordingly, nothing is more striking in this volume, as a characteristic feature, than the equal prominence, which is successively given in the course of it to every part of Revelation. Nothing appears disjointed or out of its due proportion; not from any desire of system (for the sermons are not trines systematically treated), but methodically arranged, nor the docfrom a sincere value for truth, as truth, and for all revealed truth, as necessary, though not perhaps always equally so, to the profitable reception of the Gospel. Indeed, we feel convinced, as the volume itself bears evidence, that few men have ever more fully realised the spirit of the following sound and valuable observations than their author. "I know no mark of a sound mind more unequivocal than the just and comprehensive view which it takes of the whole circle of duties; rejecting none, unduly preferring none, not es teeming the performance of any a compensation for the breach of others." p. 368. They who neglect, or they who pervert, Scripture, equally shew dispositions unprepared to receive the truth." p. 6. "Those Scriptures which appear to contradict our views are to us the most important passages of Scripture. They should particularly engage our attention, because they prove that our views are not yet entirely those of the sacred writers: if they were, every expression used by them would be adopted with equal readiness by us." p. 370. "Of you, my brethren, I would hope that you are deeply sensible of the importance of truth; that you earnestly wish to ascertain the exact views of Scripture; that you are prepossessed by no system, and have no prejudice in favour of your own notions of the character of God, but will receive, with an honest and good heart, whatever you find declared respecting it in the Sacred Writings. It is this humble and teachable disposition alone which the Holy Ghost will bless with wisdom and knowledge: the meek will he guide in judgment." p. 6. But it is time to pass from general description to a more particular analysis of this interesting publication; and yet how is this to be attempted? To enumerate the titles of twenty-two sermons would give a very imperfect view of their contents; and to form any abstract of them would do them injustice. We will rather cite a few passages, which exhibit some of their more characteristic excellencies, and thus endeavour, by a kind of prismatic experiment, to display before our readers the varied colours of those rays which the volume itself presents in harmonious and modest combination. First; The author's sober, temperate, and convincing mode of stating important doctrines, which are too often rejected, because misunderstood, may be illustrated by the following admirable passage on the enmity of the natural heart to God. "In what sense, then, are we to understand this enmity to God? "1. We are not to suppose, that the unregenerate man is at enmity with God according to the character which he usually forms of him. He commonly thinks of God only as a great, wise, and good Being; and he feels no sentiment of opposition to the attributes of wisdom, greatness, or goodness. Nay, while he considers these as exerted in his behalf, and in that of his fellow creatures, he may even feel a certain degree of complacency and delight in them. He may rejoice that there is a Good and Almighty Being at the head of the universe, who can and will controul the evil which might else break forth, without measure, to disturb the harmony and peace of the world. He may look with pleasure upon the glorious works he has made; at the provision he has so richly furnished to supply the wants of man and beast; and at the laws and the providence by which so vast and various a creation is administered and preserved, through all its orders of being, equally in the great and the minute, according to the will and purpose of its Creator. These, he will say, are the works of the great Parent of Good, and manifest his wisdom. All things proclaim his praise, and men ought, above the rest of his creation, to render thanks and adoration to him. Such, I say, may be the views and feelAnd when a person in this state is told, that his mind is naturally at enmity with God, he will perhaps revolt against the charge, appeal confidently to his own heart for its refutation, and be unable, even after cool and candid reflection, to admit it in any sense as true. ings even of an unregenerate man. “In explaining the meaning of the Apostle's words, therefore, we must be very careful not to confound the real character of God with that which we may have formed of him for ourselves. In the view which sinners usually take of the attributes of God; his supreme authority as the Governor of the world; his infinite purity and holiness as hating, and his justice as avenging, sin, are kept out of sight: a being is framed in their imagination, very much resem merciful and indulgent to sinners; will bling themselves;- -a being who will be allow them to live in a great measure as they please, and punish only the sins which would be very injurious to society; yet easily forgiving even these, and ready to bestow eternal happiness upon all his creatures, even upon such as may have been total strangers to the life of purity and holiness which he requires. "2. Further, enmity against the Almighty is not to be considered as a personal enmity, but rather as a dislike of the government which he exercises, and of the laws which he ordains; those laws particularly which concern our selves, which restrain us from any |