he smiled contemptuously at the reproach of ignorant intole rance, and proceeded unmoved in his gentle conciliating path. His piety and virtue placed him foremost in the ranks of Methodism, and reflected dignity and grace on the appellation.

In Parliament he seems never to have spoken but on points connected with the good order of the establishment, or the more intimate interests of religion. To secure the residence of the beneficed clergy, and to better the condition of stipen diary curates, were always objects with him of peculiar moment. Whenever he rose he was listened to with marked respect. His general political opinions were those of Mr. Pitt. Nihil est ab omni parte beatum.

As a preacher, (says Mr. Hodgson) the Bishop's reputation has ever stood deservedly high in the public estimation. Few men, indeed, were ever so remarkably endowed with all the qualities, which give preeminence in the pulpit. His voice, without unusual loudness or strength, was yet uncommonly clear; and it was combined with such a liquid, dis tinct enunciation, as rendered him completely audible even in the largest churches and to the most crowded congregations. It also possessed great sweetness and flexibility; and he had the talent of modulating it so correctly as always to please and satisfy the ear, and yet so easily and naturally, as never, even in the slightest degree, to incur the charge of affectation. His delivery was very impressive; it was chaste, correct, spirited, devout. He had no studied action, no vehement and forced emotions; he spoke evidently as he felt, his whole soul was in his subject, he. seemed to forget himself in the deep interest which he took in the edification of his hearers; and this circumstance gave, as it manifestly would, such a power and charm to his preaching as never failed to extort attention even from the coldest and the most insensible. His style was admirably adapted to the pulpit. It was plain, without being too familiar, classical, without being pedantic. His great aim was, to express himself so clearly, that the meanest and the least informed might always comprehend him; and yet with such correctness and purity, as to be heard with satisfaction by men of taste and education. How perfectly he succeeded, his discourses prove; they are distinguished throughout by the most elegant simplicity at the same time, when the occasion calls for it, they are strong, nervous, eloquent, sublime. His sentiments and language rise with his subject; and heightened as they were by his peculiar elocution, they made a deep and most powerful impression, but it was neither style, nor manner, nor utterance, which alone gave such efficacy to his preaching; his sermons are conspicuous for sound judgment, solid argument, great knowledge of the human heart, accurate observation of the world, an unshrinking reprobation of vice, the most persuasive exhortations to picty, and an unqualified avowal of all the essential, fundamental truths and doctrines of the Gospel.' pp. 279-283.

It is to be regretted, we humbly think, that some of the 'essential fundamental doctrines of the Gospel' have not received that pre-eminence, and greater fuluess and frequency

of illustration and enforcement, in these admirable compositions, which we are disposed to advise, and urge earnestly on every herald of the Christian faith. We can cordially recommend the writings of Bishop Porteus, however, as among the best models we know, of simple, elegant, and chaste pulpit composition, and as containing some of the most beautiful and affectionate persuasions in our language, to the love and practice of moral and religious duty.

One trait in the departed prelate's character which arrests attention and inspires delight in almost every page of the performance on our table, we beg a single moment to present apart. It is his unwearied spirit of active benevolence. This shed a glory around him, the refulgence of which still remains in the remembrance of all by whom it was ever beheld. It appeared in every form in forwarding those to distinction,. whose services in the Church seemed likely to prove most beneficial; (of which the present exemplary Dean of Canterbury affords a striking instance) in directing and encouraging youth in their university education, for the various public duties of the ministry; and in studying, by every proper measure to promote the comfort, and happiness, and real honour of the clergy. One deed of splendid munificence must be specified, his donation of £6,700 in the 3 per cents, consolidated annuities, which, during his life, he transferred into the hands of the archdeacons for the time being of the Lon. don diocese, and the interest of which is annually distributed at their discretion, among a certain number of the most needy clergy in that see, in sums not exceeding twenty pounds; an act which will ever endear his memory to the church of England. Bishop Porteus was the unfailing friend of the poor, who could confidently make him acquainted with their distress, and repose in his counsel; and who experienced his wealth and intercession, active and ceaseless in their service. Few men have ever departed amidst so many blessings and prayers breathed deep from the soul; few prophets have ever ascended into glory, whose flight has been gazed at through such mournful teas, or whose excellencies will continue to be cherished with sweeter melancholy. Especially in the present hour of national calamity, when the bitter sufferings of the humbler orders of society are extorting from them a voice which thrills through every compassionate mind, let not such a memorial be preserved in vain.

Towards the conclusion of this work, Mr. H. has introduced a long letter from the Bishop, in reply to an unknown correspondent, who had requested his advice for the removal of some religious difficulties which were excited in his mind by a

serious perusal of Mr. Wilberforce's invaluable "Practical' View;" and we cannot satisfy ourselves without recommending this excellent letter to general attention.-Among other observations by our author, in accounting for the Bishop's leisure for such kind services, there is one fraught with peculiar instruction. 'He was a rigid economist of time. Unless illness prevented him, he rose constantly at six in the morning, and every part of the day had its proper allotted occupation. We detach two or three sentences to aid our imperfect hasty sketch, and, apologizing for the extent of our article, close, the volume.

He had indeed, and who has not, his foibles and infirmities. They were however, few and venial, and almost unavoidable. For instance, amidst the toil and hurry of a laborious station, and from great anxiety in what he was engaged in, he sometimes betrayed in the latter part of his life, a slight impatience of manner. But he instantly checked it, and no one more lamented it than himself. His disposition indeed, with the exception of such occasional transient interruptions, arising from the causes I have mentioned, was one of the mildest and the sweetest that can be imagined. It was the index of a heart warmed with all the charities and sympathies of our nature, and under the constant influence of a meek, a benevolent, and a kind religion.'-Piety, as he felt and understood it, was best exemplified by cheerfulness. He saw no incompatibility in the innocent pleasures of life with the most unfeigned devotion. He wished to render religion as amiable as she is venerable; to place her before the eyes of men in her most alluring and attractive form-bright, serene, unclouded and benign; in a word, to represent her, not as the enemy and the bane of happiness, but as the guide, the companion, the solace, the delight of man. His own character was framed on this principle. He was cheerful without levity, serious and devout without morosenes. He lived, in short, as he taught others to live; and this it was, which far beyond any other cause, gave such power, such weight, such efficacy to his preaching.' pp. 315-317

It were perhaps extravagant to expect that the affectionate representation which we have now rapidly traced, has been precisely transcribed from real existence. But so long as all the leading characteristic features of the venerated object have been accurately preserved, we can readily indulge the partiality which has thus delineated them under their happiest expression. Infirmities impair, transiently at least, the native beauty of even the loveliest and most perfect forms in our nature, yet we cannot censure the painter who lends to their exhibition those heightening tints of natural association, which give distincter prominence and deeper interest, to every trait in the combination. The great moral purpose of biography is not to see how man can err or fail, this science is easily attained otherwise, alas, in all its mournful completeness,—bus

to point out to what a noble eminence man may permanently reach, though placed in ordinary circumstances. Scarcely any other exercise of the human mind is more profitable. We are detained in the contemplation, till every feature of the image we are surveying, is imprinted on our minds. We think that we may, we know that we ought, and resolve that we will, transcribe it in our own lives. While every faculty of the understanding is exalted, every feeling of the heart is improved and purified; and we resume our situations in society, determined, under the influence and guidance which is from above, to ascend, through all the various duties and trials assigned us in providence, to the height of our immortal being.

Art. II. The History of the European Commerce with India. To which is subjoined, a Review of the Arguments for and against the Trade with India, and the Management of it by a Chartered Company; with an Appendix of authentic Accounts. By David Macpherson, Author of the Annals of Commerce, &c. 4to. pp. 440. Price 17. 16s. Longman and Co. 1812.

THIS book has very much the air of a thing got up, on a

particular occasion, for the benefit of the East India Company. We disclaim any knowledge of the book, but from its contents, or of the author, but from his productions; and are therefore far from insinuating any thing with regard to his motives. The book appears to us to teach doctrines, which have no tendency but to uphold a system of delusion that has too long prevailed; and whether they proceed from the stimulus of gain, or from the sincerity of conviction, is comparatively of little moment. The belief of the doctrines, if false, is equally pernicious, on either supposition; and the service of preventing it is equally demanded, and equally meritorious.

Mr. Macpherson is already known to us in his Annals of Commerce; a work, consisting of a republication of Anderson's History of Commerce, and a Continuation. That publication is not without its use, and indicates the industry and fidelity of the author. But the materials, with the exception of parliamentary papers, of which a great deal more might have been made, are of the commonest kind: the compilation is unilluminated with a single ray of philosophy: and even the ideas of political economy occasionally to be met with, are crude and feeble. Yet with all the misapplications with which this performance abounded, there seemed to be such a leaning to the authority of the best books, as would have hindered us from pre-supposing Mr. M. a believer in the virtue of the monopoly; and it was with some little sur Vol. VIII. 3 S

prise we learned, that we had to rank him among the advo→ cates for the Company's prejudices.

We call them prejudices with perfect calmness and assurance; for all argument upon the subject has been long since exhausted. The Company and their advocates go on, year after year, repeating the same pretexts,-pretexts at variance with all the acknowledged principles of political science, and to every one of which a direct and irrefragable answer has many times, and long ago, been rendered. They seem to think the power of argument is coextensive with the power of speech; and so long as a party can but give utterance to his pleas-no matter for the answers-he is still unrefuted.

The Company appear of late to have thought, that a sort of envelope, however, might be of use to their doctrines. In their naked state, the country had become so familiar with them, that there was a danger it might see what they were worth. We have accordingly had them, of late, presented to us, packed up with historical matter. In the first place, we had the three dull, but far from useless volumes of Mr. Bruce; and now we have the equally dull, and nearly altogether useless volume of Mr. Macpherson.

We shall first of all give a concise notice of its contents. After an introduction, tracing briefly the history of the ancient commerce with India, he enters into an account of the commerce of the Portuguese, the first of the Europeans who sailed to India by the Cape of Good Hope. This he despatches, in 30 pages. He then proceeds to the commerce of the Dutch with India. This occupies exactly 31 pages. The English commerce with the countries beyond the Cape of Good Hope comes next upon the carpet, and fills up a considerable portion of the volume, extending from page 72 to page 254. The next in order is the French East India commerce, filling 31 pages. After this comes that of the Danes, 10 pages; next that of the Ostend Company, 10 pages; next that of the Swedes, 8 pages; next that of the Trieste Company, 6 pages; last that of the Spaniards, 16 pages. The volume is crowned with a review of the arguments for and against the trade with India, and of those for and against the management of it by a chartered company with a joint stock.

With regard to the merit of the historical details, they are unexceptionable, as far as they go. But that is no great praise. The materials are taken from the easiest and commonest sources; and in fact, the details are of the most obvious and vulgar sort. That they are dry and tedious, is in some degree owing to the subject. Perpetual repetitions about broad cloth, tin, and bullion, about so many ships of