result from his Lordship's demise are still unknown, and in all probability, still unfixed. But there seems no doubt the Duke of Wellington will proceed to Vienna, and that Mr. Peel will become the ministerial leader in the House of Commons,

The direction of foreign affairs, and the principal management of his Majesty's service in the lower house of parliament were the important and arduous duties under which Lord Londonderry's constitution gave way, and a few words upon the state of each, and of his Lordship's method of conducting them, will not be out of place.

Lord Londonderry succeeded to the office of Foreign Secretary when the last and the successful coalition against Buonaparte was about to be formed. The continental powers were dispirited by repeated failures, and intimidated by the gigantic power of the Emperor of the French. The only light in the political horizon was that which had begun to dawn in Spain. The British government lost no time in augmenting their army, and in exciting the rest of Europe to make one struggle more. Their example and advice prevailed, and of the splendid success with which the coalition was ultimately crowned, the British government may fairly claim a very large share. Lord Londonderry was conspicuous throughout the whole course of these transactions-he was the constant advocate of increased exertions, and at last he repaired to the head-quarters of the Allies, and by his presence and exertions contributed mainly to the glorious result. Of the peace which followed he was the principal adviser; and the persons who maintain that its terms might have been ma terially improved, should consult Buonaparte's opinions upon that point in the Voice from St. Helena. The Ex-emperor joined cordially in the censures of the English opposition. But what did he recommend as a substitute? Commercial treaties, and retention of captured

colonies! The first of which have been tried too often, to be worth trying again; and the second must have destroyed what Buonaparte never valued or possessed, our national character for moderation and generosity. The only part of the treaty of peace which was materially objectionable, is the cession of Poland to Russia; and in excuse for that article, it may be truly said, that in crushing one despot, we had made another so powerful, that there were some acts of injustice which he might commit with impunity. This was evidently unavoidable, and unless Lord Londonderry be condemned for the overthrow of France, he ought to be forgiven for the aggrandisement of Russia. Since the conclusion of the peace of Paris, there has been little opeu interference with foreign_nations upon the part of the British court, and it is difficult to form an opinion respecting that which has been confidently and secretly carried on. From events, however, which are known to all the world, · it is fair to presume that our government has acted with prudence and moderation, and repeatedly held the scales between various contending parties. Nothing can be more honourable than such a situation-it is a proof that we possess a moral influence in the world, and that the yea or nay of Britain will be heard with respect, even when unaccom. panied with an appeal to her riches or her strength. The minister whose superintendance of foreigu affairs has led to this result, may claim a high place among distinguished statesmen; his loss, whoever may be his successor, must be felt. He had an intimate acquaintance not merely with the transactions, but with all the leading agents of the last twelve years; his public and private character were known and respected at every foreign court

-and it is due to him to say, that if his death is not regarded as a signal public calamity, it is because his life had been so successfully em

ployed in tranquillizing the European republic, that there is no immediate call for extraordinary exertions to preserve the general peace.

The domestic administration of Lord Londonderry is less conspicuous than his foreign career. In the latter he was justly regarded as the -leader of his party, and the originator of many important measures; in the former he was employed in executing and defending the joint plans of the cabinet rather than in striking out a line for biself. The union with Ireland was principally brought about by himand was an extraordinary undertaking for so young a man. Since the death of Mr. Perceval he has been the chief speaker for government in the House of Commons, and his success in this department was reudered peculiarly striking by his notorious oratorical faults. Readiness, judgment, good temper, and good sense made amends for all deficiencies. And in an age in which parliament is too often disgraced by the personalities of certain wellknown individuals, Lord Londonderry's example was as beneficial in checking vulgarity and malevolence as the castigation which he occasionally inflicted upon them.

This is the bright side of Lord Londonderry's parliamentary character. On the other hand, it must be confessed, that he dealt too largely in manoeuvres, expedients, and shifts-was too fond of meeting questions indirectly-of replying by an argumentum ad hominem, and of getting off upon some technical plea. This system succeeded better in the house where its ingenuity was felt, than among the vulgar out of doors, who believed that government possessed a substantive defence, and wished to know its nature and extent. He gave his opponents a great advantage, by refusing to grapple with their facts and arguments. He

enabled them to say, with much plausibility, that his parliamentary reasoning was different from that on which he really relied and acted. And as the Debates are read by many who suppose that such a plan can be adopted, for no purpose except that of concealing the truth, the unpopularity of ministers, we use the word in its radical sense, may be attributed, in great measure to the nature of Lord Londonderry's speeches. Had he fully and fairly met the speeches of his opponents, and enabled the country to contrast his system with theirs, the state of the public or popular mind at the present time might have been very different from what we are compelled to witness and lament. No minister ever made such warm political adherents out of doors as Mr. Pitt; and his secret, setting aside his transcendent abilities, was the straightforwardness, perspicuity, and manliness with which he avowed and defended the measures of his admi. nistration.

If a graver fault attaches to the memory of Lord Londonderry, as the parliamentary leader of his party, if it should be thought that he was too reluctant to make the necessary reductions, and waited till the house forced him into retrenchment and economy, the auswer is, that the enormous diminution of government influence and patronage which took place shortly after the peace, made it impossible for an ordinary minister to do otherwise. The great man before mentioned might and would have played a nobler part; but the inferiority of his friends and successors compelled them to listen to the demands of their various supporters; the number of demands increased as the supply diminished, and the result has been that system which we condemn and regret, without denying the good intention of those by whom it was adopted.

LUKE viii. 11.

[VOL. IV.

they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing

of God.

THE mode of imparting information by means of parables, or simple stories, is perhaps, the best with which we are acquainted. It at once amuses, teaches, and convinces. But this was not the only reason why it was adopted by our Lord. The parable indeed before us is the more important, as it occasioned him to explain the cause of the frequent recourse which he had to this species of instruction. After he had delivered the parable of the sower to the multitudes which surrounded him, his disciples came privately to him, and desired an explanation of it. What might this parable be? The answer of our Lord is a remarkable one: Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. In the account given by St. Matthew of the same occurrence, we find the reasons of our Lord stated still more at length, xiii. 12. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but who soever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing, see not, and hearing, they hear not, neither do REMEMBRANCER, No. 46,

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for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their cars dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed. In these words then of Isaiah, which are quoted at length in St. Matthew, but are only alluded to in St. Luke, we see the reason of our Lord's conduct. It was not to hide from them the saving truths of the Gospel, that Christ spake to the multitude in.] rables, but it was to unfold them in that gentle and gradual manner, which alone could be attended with success. From the ignorance and the blindness in which their eyes had so long been closed, it would have been dangerous to have admitted them at once to the full brightness of the Christian sun. To reclaim mankind from error, to soften the obstinate, and to enlighten the blinded soul is not the work of a moment. Even with all the advantages, which we at this day as Christians possess, we must be content to pursue the blessed task of teaching the igno rant, and reforming the criminal with much patience and circumspection. But it was not only much blindness and ignorance with which our Lord had to contend, but with prejudices most deeply rooted and established in their minds. In addition to this, besides the multitudes who flocked in simplicity of heart to hear the words of eternal life, our Lord was 4 E

surrounded by those whose desire was to entrap him in the course of his ministry, to hear something that might give them an opportunity of persecution or revenge. Now as the great aim of the Saviour was not to irritate but to conciliate, he generally chose to veil his doctrines under such language, and to give them in such a form as could least offend.

To the multitudes therefore he spake in parables; and thus without raising any prejudice, or start. ing any difficulty, he led them on-, "wards in the paths of life. The same method was pursued by St. Paul, with respect to the Corinthians: I could not, says he, speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in ChristI have fed you with milk, and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it.

Now a better way of carrying this purpose into effect could not be imagined than by parables. Let us take the parable before us. The story is simple, short, and natural; it would command the attention, and fix itself in the memory. Coming from a teacher of religion, it would of course be considered as containing more than should at first have met the ear. And hence would appear the end and purpose of the whole, in the manner in which it would affect the mind of the hearers. If their attention was not exerted, if their interest was not excited, any farther instruction would have little chance of success. Seeing they would not see, and hearing they would not understand. But if on the contrary, the parable should lead them to the interpretation, if it should rouse the desire to hear more, and to see farther, how much would be accomplished? Their eyes would begin to open, and their ears to hear; their prejudices would abate, and their hearts give way, and thus gradually trained and prepared for better things, they would hereafter readily receive and under

L

stand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Just and merciful then is the Almighty both in what he reveals, and in what he hides from our eyes. In this our infant state, God often speaks to us, as he did to the multitudes of old, in parables-in parables practical and moral. The changing scenes of the world around us, the awful events which daily occur before our eyes, a thousand circumstances in the lives both of ourselves and others, are so many practical parables delivered to us by our great Moral Teacher and Governor. This is the language in which God speaks to mankind; but against such lessons how often do we close our understandings and our hearts, seeing we will not see, and hearing we will not understand. To those whose hearts are prepared by meditation and humility, as to the disciple of old, it is given to know these mysteries of the kingdom of God. To know them not with the full range of perfect vision, but as through a glass darkly. To these, however, enough is shewn to strengthen their coufidence, to animate their hope, and to guide their feet over the apparently trackless desart of life, to the city of eternal rest and peace.

Such then were the reasons which induced our Lord to instruct the multitude in parables; and thus gently to instil into their hearts the knowledge and the desire of his heavenly Gospel. A better instance of this could not be taken than the parable before us. Had he, without any preparation, in plain and simple language, uttered the opinions, which this parable implies, how much prejudice would have been excited, how much offence conceived by every class of his hearers, even at the very commencement of his ministry. How many, as upon a later occasion, would have walked no more with him. With us, to whom, as Christians, it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God,

I trust there is not the same danger. And yet, Christians as we are, we do not like to be told too plainly, even from this place of general instruction, of our wauderings from the path of duty. But with the parable and the interpretation before us, can we close our eyes, or if we could, can we close those of our Maker and our Redeemer? He that planteth the eye, shall he not see? Let us then, without fear of selfoffence, fairly look to our hearts and lives, and say to which of the four states in the parable we belong. For to every one of us does the Redeemer cry, as he did to the multitudes of old, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. For of the seed sown in our hearts, and of the harvest, which that seed ought to produce, we must hereafter give a fearful account.

Are we among those by the way side? The seed may be sown, but if the soil is too hard or too trodden down to receive it, that seed must perish. Many indeed there are, in whose heart the word of God has not even for a moment taken root. They hear, but it is without understanding and without concern. They bear, not because they like it, but because they cannot avoid it. They neglect every warning, and stifle every thought of a world to come, just as if in that world, they had neither interest nor share. Whether men call themselves infidels or Christians, the rejection is practically the same, and arises from the same cause, from a hardened, selfish, and proud heart. Yet can they imagine that God will sow the seed, and not require an account of the harvest; are the words of life of so little value, as to be abandoned to the evil angels of infidelity or indifference. If not, if there be an account, let them not lose a moment in preparing for it. The seed of life never faileth, Christ is yet ready, again and again, to sow his eternal Word: it is for us then, by humiliation, by prayer, and

by an anxious desire for this our dearest interest, to prepare the heart for its reception.

Are we among those on the rock? We have received the word of God with joy; we think it a privilege to call ourselves Christians. Yet it does not appear that we are much the better for this holy profession. For a time, and that too often a very short one, we go on tolerably well; but when temptation comes, we fall away, our faith and hope languish, our innocence retreats, and little more than an unprofitable name remains. The goodly plant, which should spring up and flourish unto the harvest of life withereth away; and why, because it lacketh moisture. The rocky soil of man's heart is but ill calculated to nourish and sustain the seed of life. Whence then is the moisture to proceed; not from ourselves, or from the broken cisterns of our weak nature; but from those streams that flow from the throne of God. It is the grace of God, daily and hourly distilling into our souls as the dew of heaven, which alone can give that moisture so necessary to the growth of piety and virtue. How many instances are there in the experience which each of us has of himself, when the good resolutions which we have made, and the good lessons which we have learnt, wither away, and bring no fruit; because God and his grace are not with us. And why are they not with us? because we are too negligent or too proud to ask. God never yet refused his grace and protection to humble and repeated prayer. Knowing then how much we want, and how little we have; knowing that without the influence of God's refreshing grace, the good seed will bring forth no fruit, let us, in the words of the Psalmist, resolve O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee. My soul also thirsteth after thee, my flesh. longeth after thee in a barren and dry land, where no water is.