which he is a member, which led to an uncalled-for schism, leading to social disunion, and having a tendency to produce much bitterness of spirit, and even the fiercest internal warfare, as, indeed, in but a few years it contributed to do. But there are many others who may look upon it but as a magnanimous and salutary assertion of the right of private judgment and public action according to the result of that judgment, and a submission to the teaching of Scripture as opposed to anything which claims to be an authoritative explanation of it. On both sides there is much to be said. But whatever view is taken of the principles on which these men acted, few will deny the praise of sincerity and earnestness, and a devout respect to what they deemed commands too sacred not to be obeyed, to those who were the leaders in this movement, and to those also who followed with them, though it may be of unrecorded name.

To those also who look with something of sorrow upon the divisions of the Christian world, and to the occasional manifestations of terrene thoughts entering into those which ought to have nothing in them but the celestial, arising out of these divisions; there is some satisfaction in the thought that nothing seems to deprive Christianity of its salutary influences: for that however it is professed it still fills the mind with peace, and hope, and joy, and arms its professors, in whatever form professed, against the temptations of the world. But if we conclude that these people had mis

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taken the path of duty, or had imposed upon themselves a severer burthen than God ever intended for them, there is still a heroism in their conduct which forbids us to regard them with indifference, nay rather, which will call forth the sympathy of every generous mind.

J. H.

June 6th, 1854.

PREFATORY STANZA S.

O little Fleet! that on thy quest divine
Sailedst from Palos one bright autumn morn,
Say, has old Ocean's Bosom ever borne

A freight of Faith and Hope, to match with thine?

Say, too, has Heaven's high favour given again
Such consummation of desire, as shone

About Columbus, when he rested on
The new-found world and married it to Spain.

Answer-Thou refuge of the Freeman's need,
Thou for whose destinies no Kings looked out,
Nor Sages to resolve some mighty doubt,
Thou simple May-Flower of the salt-sea mead!

When Thou wert wafted to that distant shore-
Gay flowers, bright birds, rich odours, met thee not,
Stern nature hail'd thee to a sterner lot.—

God gave free earth and air, and gave no more.

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PREFATORY STANZAS.

Thus to men cast in that heroic mould
Came Empire, such as Spaniard never knew—
Such Empire, as beseems the just and true;
And at the last, almost unsought, came Gold.

But He, who rules both calm and stormy days,
Can guard that people's heart, that nation's health,
Safe on the perilous heighths of power and wealth,
As in the straitness of the ancient ways.

The Hall, Bawtry.

May 30th, 1854.

RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES.