363 Aspect of the Arts and Sciences towards Religion. the Arts and Sciences bear towards Religion, worthy an insertion in your valuable miscellany, its early insertion will oblige your's, &c. A. B. D. 364 dency to elevate his views of the Divine Being above those of that man who is not acquainted with it. On a survey of the heavens, and the countless multitudes of revolving worlds they contain, he will be led to exclaim, like pious David, "When I consider the heavens, the work of thy hands, and the sun, moon, and stars, which thou hast made; Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him?"-and with Milton, then, "These are thy glorious works, Parent of MY DEAR FRIEND,-According to your request, I sit down the few minutes I have to spare, to write a few lines on the Aspeet which the Arts and Sciences bear towards Religion. It is positively asserted by the pen of divine inspiration, that without knowledge the heart cannot be good: but it must be admitted that there are some kinds of knowledge very injurious to the morals of men, and opposed to the welfare of society. This assertion only includes such knowledge as is calculated to promote the happiness and usefulness of man in this world, and prepare him for a And whilst his mind is thus inspired state of eternal felicity beyond the with the most sublime and exalted grave. I conceive that an acquaint-ideas of the majesty and greatness of ance with the Arts and Sciences, is the supreme Being, he will sink into calculated to render a person more nothingness and insignificancy in his useful and respectable in the world, own estimation, and exclaim, like than one destitute of a knowledge of Watts, them. But it is most important and essential that a man should have a correct knowledge of himself, as a sinful and accountable creature, and of God his Creator, and Christ his Redeemer; without this knowledge, every other kind will avail him nothing in a dying hour. But where learning and piety concentrate in a person, they shine brilliantly. I am fully aware, my dear Friend, I am quite incompetent to do justice to the subject; for I consider, in order to treat it properly, it is necessary I should possess a good knowledge of the Arts and Sciences. But this not being the case, you must expect my views of the subject to be very contracted. | "Great God! how infinite art thou!" And not only Astronomy, but Natural History and Philosophy, in all their branches, are calculated, when properly pursued, as studies subordinate to religion, to have a very beneficial influence on the mind. The individual who is acquainted with these sciences, under the influence of pious feelings, will be constrained to admire the power and wisdom of God, as displayed in the work of creation. At his sovereign mandate, worlds upon worlds burst into being, and were peopled with countless tribes of creatures. At his all-powerful voice, the sun, that source of light and heat, with all the innumerable host of stars which roll along the immensity of space, sprang forth. Who can contemplate the whole universe of material being, in connection with the vast magnitude and number of heavenly bodies, and not entertain reve Whether we consider the subject as referring to the state of religious feeling in an individual, or with respect to the cause of religion in general, I conceive that the study of the Sciences under proper regulations, and in subordination to religion, instead of prov-rential thoughts of that Almighty ing injurious, will be found to be advantageous. I would not be understood to say, that I think the study of all the Sciences will prove equally and alike profitable. But to begin with Astronomy; I conceive it to be as beneficial as any. The study of this science, by a man of piety, must necessarily have a ten Being, who by a word brought them into existence? The prophet Isaiah seems to have been under similar feelings, when he exclaimed with astonishment, "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold; who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number? he calleth them all by names, by the greatness of his 365 Fragment of a Day-Book. 366 might; for that he is strong in power, ing; that is, they have not been not one faileth." FRAGMENT OF A DAY-BOOK KEPT BY STANISLAUS AUGUSTUS, LAST KING OF POLAND, FROM SECOND MARCH, 1797, UNTIL TWELFTH FEBRUARY, 1798. obliged to confine themselves to topics I conceive also an acquaintance which children might explain, but with Anatomy is very useful, and cal- have encountered, with success, subculated to promote religious thoughts jects which required the exercise of and feelings. At a survey of the forcible reasoning powers. Do you structure of the human body, the wish a proof of this? I need only direct regular organization of every part, your thoughts to India; there witness the use of every muscle, of every what has been achieved by a Carey, nerve, and the great skill displayed Ward, and Marshman, and many other in their formation and regular motion, men of learning and piety. And I will naturally lead us to say, "I will would ask, has their piety, or did the praise thee, for I am fearfully and piety of Watts, Doddridge, Newton, wonderfully made; marvellous are Hervey, and others, appear the less thy works, and that my soul knoweth conspicuous, on account of their acright well." With this, I think, Logic, quaintance with the Sciences? I or Intellectual Philosophy, might very think not; neither was their usefulprofitably be studied, for it is abso-ness in the cause of religion obstructed lutely necessary a man should possess thereby. I therefore conclude by saya knowledge of the powers of his owning, that the Arts and Sciences bear mind, and be able to think, judge, a favourable aspect towards Religion, reason, and communicate his thoughts rather than otherwise. to others with precision and accuracy. He should also be well acquainted with the various operations and faculties of his mind, else he will be liable to confound them one with another it may also be useful in many more instances than I have time now to enumerate. As well during the journey to PetersRespecting the study of Mathe-burgh, as during his stay in that rematics, I think it is very useful to strengthen and invigorate the reasoning faculties; the truth of this you know by experience, therefore I need not say any thing more concerning it. Now, as to giving you my decided opinion, whether or no the Sciences bear a favourable aspect towards Religion, I will merely assert this, that if we take a view of the good and evil resulting from the study of them, we shall find the good evidently to preponderate: and, in conclusion, if we consider the subject with respect to the general cause of religion, we shall find them favourable rather than otherwise. It is true, the Christian's religion is characterized by its simplicity, and the gospel does not stand in need of human wisdom, to add to its dignity and excellence, for, without any embellishments, it is able to make men wise unto salvation through faith in Christ; nevertheless, an acquaintance with the Sciences has never rendered the ministers of the gospel less useful, I believe; but, on the contrary, they have found this knowledge a valuable acquisition to them, in obviating that laboured stiffness in their composition, and sameness in preach sidence and at Moscow, Stanislaus dictated bulletins, addressed to his friends in Poland; but as he had no great reliance on the sanctity or secrecy of the Russian post-office, he left a large white border, on which he wrote with sympathetic ink whatever he thought not fit for the perusal of strangers, and several passages of the manuscript are written in this manner. Kotzebue obtained possession of the whole, under condition of suppressing what might compromise any living person. The manner in which the emperor received the king, and how the latter bore his fate, as also his remarks, cannot fail to interest the observers of mankind. "Mietau, 2d March, 1797.-Only the day before yesterday did the king arrive here, at eleven o'clock in the night; because a thousand obstacles had united to delay his arrival, and to make his journey as disagrecable as possible. Nobody was, however, more sorry for it than the general Count Besborodke, who had relied on the preparations of general Tormasoff; unfortunately, the latter had been displaced a few days before out of his government, and all had been 367 Fragment of a Day-Book. 368 neglected to an incredible degree. | point of the imperial sceptre; he The number of miles was falsely indicated, and consequently the calculation of the hours was sure to be wrong! Even the road was missed, and on leaving Wilna, a round-about was made, of more than four miles, in the most horrible by-roads. Several accidents of the same description had occurred; thawing weather suddenly changing with frost, spoiled all the roads, and many carriages broke. has embellished the place with much expense and taste. A splendid supper had been prepared; and the marshal to the court Wielohursky, waited upon the king with five courtiers in their gala dresses, who welcomed him in the name of the different branches of the imperial family. The emperor had suspended the mourning for three days, on account of the king's arrival. On the next morning the king took prince Stanislaus in his carriage, and both proceeded to the seat of the countess Skawronska, two versts from this town. He found there the vice-chancellor prince Kurakin, with a great suite, and the "This forced slowness allowed the king to visit, at Poraysire, the convent of the Kartusians; a remarkable monument of the riches of the chancellor Paé, and the use which he made of them. The only painting that appeared valuable, was the meet-court equipage. The king stepped ing of Maria with the mother of Johannes. Another curiosity of the place has disappeared, viz. the bodies of Paé and his wife; they were still in preservation forty years ago, but have since perished. To make up for this, a pompous and badlystyled inscription informs the curious, that lady Paé had been of the Mailly family, related to the princes of Savoy, the Bourbons, and a couple of Greek emperors. Mietau has been very much enlarged and embellished since the king was there last. To increase the singularity of his present situation, the old Stackelberg, formerly ambassador in Poland, has been appointed for the office of chamberlain during the stay in Petersburgh. The former secretary of the embassy, who is likewise here, thinks that the emperor made this nomination to humble Stackelberg, with whom he is displeased." "Narva, 8th March.-Mr. Von Tiesenhausen, the governor, has received the king with distinguished civility; and, generally speaking, it would be impossible to behave better in this respect than the whole nobility of Livonia has done. In the governor's conduct, was there a certain kind of cordiality, by which the king was much affected." "Petersburgh, 14th March.-On the 9th, the king arrived at Ropseha, a country seat, 35 versts from here, where Peter the Third died. The count gave it as a present to prince Orloff, who sold it to a very rich Armenian from Ispahan, called Lasaroff; this man is the same who sold the large diamond which now adorns the into the state carriage, and sat alone on the back seat, with prince Kurakin and prince Stanislaus on the front: the imperial pages hung themselves to the coach-doors, and the master of the horse, Prince Galitzin, rode on the right side. A detachment of the garde-noble opened the procession, and another of hussars concluded it. A great concourse of people accompanied it up to the Marble palace, in whose rooms the king found the emperor, who embraced him cordially, and conversed with him during an hour in private, before he returned to his residence. The grand dukes, Alexander and Constantine, were likewise present. The description of the Marble palace would fill a book. "On the next day, the king dined with the emperor, seated betwixt him and the empress; the latter, and the young grand duchesses, presented a very fine group; the two grand dukes are patterns of politeness and civility: but nothing surpasses the manner in which the emperor himself displays the goodness of his heart, and the fine attention which he bestows; the most friendly intimacy has animated his conversations with the king. The Marble palace has cost several millions, but it is nevertheless so badly arranged, that the king's suite is not only lodged in a confined manner, but even very uncomfortably: it is said, that when the grand duke celebrated his marriage there, some of his people took away tables, chairs, and even the locks from the doors; every thing must be bought anew. Stackelberg has not been named as officiating chamberlain; but he stands 369 Observations on Theft, by Homo. 370 so badly at court, that he has resolv-on account of the approaching coroed to withdraw to his estates." nation, the roads were almost like “17th March. The king has been ploughed fields. In the palace which visiting, yesterday, the hermitage was assigned to the king, the servants which constitutes a part of the impe- of the late governor have behaved rial chateau, and which one would call nearly as bad as the above-mentioned in other places, museum, cabinet of people had done in the Marble palace; curiosities, picture gallery, &c. The in all the rooms of the suite, have gallery of Arabeskes, of the Vatican, tables, chairs, and locks, been taken copied after Raphael, belongs like-away; the horses and carriages could wise to it. The whole is so exten-only be accommodated in part." sive, that the king was nearly two "Moscow, 13th April.-On the 7th, hours in walking through it without stopping, and merely casting now and then a slight glance on the different objects. The last thing he saw, was a model of Voltaire's seat at Ferney, together with his library; which becomes particularly interesting through the notes and remarks in his own hand-writing, which he had affixed to many books, and which contain in part his opinions on the most important points of religion, morality, and politics. One finds also here, miniature and oil paintings, from the pencil of the empress herself, which would do credit to any artist: a copy after Grenze is so well finished, that one might take it for an original. This is no compliment, but the real truth; and the king has seen, moreover, works of the same hand in ivory and precious stones, whose numbers and value excite astonishment. "To-day the king visited the Taurish palace, which contains a prodigious number of rooms. In the saloon where prince Potemkin gave the last treat to the late empress, his present majesty had since a whole battalion to go through the military manoeuvres. Here hang the original paintings of the victories of the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean, and the taking of Oczakow and Ismael. Catharine II. liked this palace very much in the latter years of her life, because she had there her dwelling on the first floor, and could go into the adjoining garden without going up and down stairs. One made the king observe, that she had written on the door the day on which she had been here for the last time." "Moscow, 5th April.-The king has made the journey hither in nine days and a half, which was two days more | than he had reckoned upon; but fifteen carriages broke on the road, and some of them even twice, because the weather changed every moment; and the king looked at the house of the (To be continued.) Observations on Theft, by Homo. MR. EDITOR. In SIR,-There is nothing so extravagant, but it may have entered into the head of man, and even into that of a legislator, or pretended philosopher. We need not travel to Greece or Rome to ascertain this point; nor have we any occasion to explore the occurrences of past ages for the purpose, since every day will furnish occurrences sufficiently strong and numerous to 371 Observations on Theft, by Homo.-Query. 372 produce conviction. I should not be thing had actually happened.) The surprised to learn, that some hair-lad was rewarded, not for the theft, brained fellow or other, had actually laid it down as a principle, that Thieving is no crime in itself, and that it only only deserves punishment, when the clumsiness of the performance leads to its detection. But I cannot easily believe, that any wise and great nations of antiquity have really and publicly adopted such a maxim. This assertion has, however, been made from the pulpit, and published to the world in writings, whose moral and religious tendencies are undoubted; nay, whose authors unquestionably meant to serve Christianity. But Christianity wants no such support; and whatever cannot stand the test of fair examination, is not likely to be of any ultimate benefit. The apostle Paul has said, that "when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another," (Rom. ii. 14, 15.) This language is decisive, so far as morality and worldly affairs are concerned; and unless the sentiment which it contains were admitted, no society could exist, not even that of professional thieves and robbers, who must either behave honestly amongst themselves, or be prepared for an early destruction of their but for the heroism with which he suffered the fox to mangle his body, rather than betray the presence of the animal. Such an action must have appeared of inestimable value to a people, with whom personal prowess availed so much, that nothing could be compared with it. The lad had, perhaps, quite as much right to the fox as any body else. The right to steal has never yet been acknowledged by any nation; and if any further proof were wanting, we may find it even amongst the most savage tribes ever yet discovered. Objects of European manufactory excite, of course, the most eager desires of every individual in their communities, and many watch the opportunity to snatch at some inestimable prize. But their manner shows plainly, that they are aware of its being wrong; and if they do it nevertheless, they act in that respect merely like thousands of their brethren and sisters, who have had all the benefit of a civilized and religious education. Liverpool, March 13, 1821. Query on the Body that shall be. MR. EDITOR, SIR,-On hearing a sermon upon the resurrection, I was dissatisfied with the assertions that the minister made, they appearing to me to be neither band. philosophical nor scriptural. I thereThe above-mentioned assertion before desire to ask information, through comes still more preposterous, when it is made respecting the Spartans, who were a most hardy people, despising every kind of luxury and effeminacy, and amongst whom the sneaking habit of Thieving was less probable than amongst any other. Moreover, what should they steal? We are told, that they had scarcely any private property but their arms, and a man could not be more completely disgraced, than by the suspicion of indulgence; and for the sake of avoiding it, they dined in public, and their children were educated at the public expense. The more courage they displayed in braying hardships, or in undergoing privations, the more they were esteemed. This latter point explains in a most natural manner the story of the lad and the fox, (supposing that such a your very excellent Magazine,-If the same body shall be raised at the resurrection, or it will be a new body? if a new body, to say something of the nature of it? and if the same numerical parts of matter will be united to the soul at the resurrection that are at this moment, to account for the constant changes that are taking place in the present body? and to say if it will be the same numerical parts of matter that are united to the soul at death, that shall be raised, or the same body at some other period of our life?-Your insertion of the above into your Imperial Magazine, will oblige, Your's, &c. |