-and exhibit, by their whole behaviour, such an appearance, as might lead any ordinary observer to conclude, that they imagine. they have attained to the perfection of knowledge and wisdom; because, by the favour of Providence, they have been enabled to scrape together a little yellow dust.

Such instances of affectation, as that, which we have now adduced, it must be allowed, are frequently to be met with among mankind.

To what then can we attribute the assumed characters of those individuals who so behave, but to the disparity which exists between the state of their minds and that of their external possessions? Had their knowledge grown with their fortunesand their principles and passions been under the government of reason, purified by the influence of a sound religion-we might naturally have expected, that they would have presented to the observer, features of character very different from those which they now display.

But those, on whose character we have now been remarking, are not the only individuals, in whose behaviour, the influence of a bad education has been instrumental in producing the silliness of affectation. The early education of those, who are born to the enjoyment of possessions, which may have been procured to them by the industry of their ancestors, not unfrequently begets, in their character, this moral blemish. The prospect of the wealth, with which, in youth, they are flattered, causes them to hear, with indifference, that instruction which would improve their minds; and to bear, with impatience, that discipline, which would teach them to govern their tempers and to observe that decency and decorum, in their conduct, which become the society and sphere in which they are destined to move. This circumstance allows them to grow up in ignorance-and this ignorance causes them to assume a character and affect a behaviour to which they certainly can have no real claim. Although ignorant, they affect to be wise; and very often in the plenitude of this their folly, they pretend to treat those subjects of which perhaps they have scarcely ever heard, in such a way, as to impress others with the idea, that they are too familiar to them already, to merit from them any thing like a serious attention. Hence, such persons conceive themselves too wise to appear often in any of those places of instruction, where they might be informed, or reminded of their duty; and when they do present themselves in such places, they take care to affect such apparent contempt of the exercises of the worshippers and the communications of the preacher, as to convince those, who observe them, that they come there, more with a view to grace the assembly with their dignified presence, than to be benefited themselves by any thing which they might see or hear.

But there is another class of men, who seem to fall into the weakness of affectation, whose education, in some respects, may be viewed as far superior to that of those whose character we have just been considering. The men, to whom we have now allusion, are those, who affect the name and character of philosophers. These investigators of nature imagine, or at least seem to imagine, that because they can speak fluently about secondary causes and laws of nature-and can use a few ponderous sounds, which are not familiar to many of their fellow men, they have a kind of right to pour contempt upon that system of divine truths, which is said, by its Author, to have been preached to the poor. This system, they would have us to believe, is too unphilosophical to engage the respect of their superior intellects. Had its author been more of a philosopher and less of a divine, they would have regarded his communications as more deserving of their notice. But, he speaks too little of physical laws, and too much respecting the immediate agency of Godhis mysterious revelations surpass too far the comprehension even of the wise-and his moral doctrines and precepts come too close home upon the consciences of the self-righteous-to entitle him to any eminent place among the respectable masters of modern science. Hence, those, who conceive themselves to belong to the class of such scientific masters, naturally consider themselves as entitled to a far higher place in the school of wisdom than Him, who seems, in their estimation, to have claimed to himself, unjustly, the high distinction of being the Light of the world.

It is clear, however, that those philosophers, with all their affected wisdom, give us but a very poor substitute, in their systhe progress of which tems, in room of the Christian system, they so zealously oppose. Take from their moral systems all that they have borrowed from the Bible; and you will leave a sad blank behind. They pretend, by their moral philosophy, to give light to the world: but, were they to think, for a moment, on the source whence they have obtained their information, they would find that, like opaque bodies, they were merely reflecting a borrowed light. The rays, which Revelation has shed around us, have given to the modern sceptic an advantage and superiority which the ancient moralist evidently did not possess. Is it not strange, then, that those, who have thus benefited by Christianity, should pretend to enlighten the world by systems, which are calculated to operate as extinguishers of that very light, by the enjoyment of which, we have risen so far superior in our moral disquisitions to the sages of antiquity? These modern reasoners, it would seem, wish, like some wise politicians, to promote anarchy and disorder in men's minds, in order that

they themselves, in the midst of the darkness and confusion, may rise to notice and distinction.

That this is the fact, with regard to many of those noted philosophers, who have endeavoured to extinguish the light of the gospel, without being able to substitute any more luminous lamp in its place, there can be no real doubt. We find, in their reasonings, that they care little for candour provided only they can make an impression, on the minds of their readers and hearers, favourable to that side which they espouse. We have a complete confirmation of this remark, in the philosophical works of David Hume, esq., who is considered a champion in the school of unbelievers. This philosopher evidently attempts nothing more, in many of his disquisitions, than merely to cast a dark mist over that path which Christianity has illuminated. He doubts and resolves-resolves and doubts, until he makes the path, through which he pretends to lead his disciples, so dark and intricate, that it is impossible for them to grope their way, When he has thus raised a cloud around them-thrown an abundance of dust in their eyes-and extinguished entirely the light which they formerly enjoyed-he lays himself back in his easy chair-smiles at their simplicity and perplexity-and tells them with an affected good humour :—

"The whole is a riddle, an enigma, an inexplicable mystery. Doubt, uncertainty, suspense of judgment, appear the only result of our most accurate scrutiny concerning this subject. But such is the frailty of human reason, and such the irresistible contagion of opinion, that even this deliberate doubt could scarcely be upheld; did we not enlarge our view, and opposing one species of superstition to another, set them a quarrelling; while we ourselves, during the fury and contention, happily make our escape into the calm, though obscure, regions of philosophy."-(Natural History of Religion, last paragraph.)

The development, which this shrewd philosopher thus makes, may be regarded as a clew to explain many of those mysteries which appear in the conduct and proceedings of many of those wise and learned men who affect to glory in a religious scepticism. They love singularity: because, they conceive it, in some instances, attracts towards them the notice of their fellow creatures. They wish to envelop themselves, like a certain priesthood, in a cloud of mysterious darkness that they may impress upon the ignorant the idea, that they have more information and wisdom than they really possess. That system, therefore, which gives to the poor, who embrace it, more real wisdom than philosophers, without it, can boast of, cannot be to them an object of very high admiration. It is their wisdom, consequently, to depreciate, as much as possible, its merits; that they may have an opportunity of laughing at the perplexities of the human

race-and enjoy the satisfaction of telling them, that, in some imaginary paradise, called "the calm regions of philosophy," they may enjoy a respite from all their wanderings, and all their

woes.

May we not, then, justly say, that those, who thus boast of their wisdom and sport with the dearest interests of mankind, display in their conduct and character a great degree of affectation? They certainly arrogate to themselves a character, which they are forced themselves to acknowledge, they cannot support. They tell us, that the Christian system is absurd ;-but they only show us its absurdity, by informing us, that all is darkness when it is taken away. Would they not, therefore, have shown their wisdom more, to have been silent respecting the merits of this system, until they were capable, by more brilliant discoveries, of substituting a better in its room? We assuredly owe them very little gratitude for attempting to extinguish the small taper by which we were endeavouring to find our way to heaven; and then ridiculing us when they have thus tried to leave us in the dark. We shall allow them to enjoy their little triumph; but think it safer, in the mean time, to trust our comforts and future hopes to Him,-who was meek and lowly in heart-and who never made any pretensions, nor assumed any character, which he could not support,-than take their systems for our guide, which appear only, like ignes fatui, to lead their followers into quagmires, dangers and death.

We might adduce many more instances of affectation than those which we have now exhibited, but deem these sufficient to show, that our education and circumstances of life, if not properly regulated and directed, will be very apt to lead us into the folly of assuming, from the love of distinction, a character to which we have no real claim; and, therefore, one, which does not at all become us, and which we may not possess ability to support. This should be a warning to us all, carefully to examine ourselves, that we may be capable of knowing our true state and character; and be led, in consequence, to adopt that kind of conduct and behaviour, which best becomes us. The love of praise, we allow, is natural,-but, notwithstanding, it requires, like our other passions, to be properly guarded and governed. It is for want of attending to this, that so many appear to be betrayed, by their education and circumstances of life, into the assumption of an affected behaviour. They form false judgments respecting that which is really amiable and praiseworthy in human conduct and character; and are, therefore, led to adopt a species of manner which, in them is fictitious; and which is, on that very account, least likely to secure to them the commendation of the worthy and judicious, whose good opinion is alone deserving of being coveted.

VOL. II.-Presb. Mag.

R

This surely proves, then, the importance of our endeavouring to add to all our other acquisitions a correct knowledge of ourselves and of that which is truly lovely and amiable in human conduct. This would prevent many, we have no doubt, from becoming trifling and absurd in their manners-from sporting with and abusing those Sacred Writings, which have given to us, respecting our origin and destinies, the best information which has yet been obtained-and would be the means of teaching them, perhaps, the necessity of erecting judicious seminaries of learning and countenancing places of public worship-that the affectation of ignorance,-the vanity of a false philosophy,and the profanity of irreligion may be banished, as far as possible, from the abodes of men. T. G. MI.

PREVENTION OF PAUPERISM.

A man risks his popularity, when he dares to write or speak plainly on the subject of pauperism in our country. This proves the benevolent dispositions of our fellow citizens, but does not evince their discernment and discretion. Charity should be expansive, but not without discrimination. We ought to relieve the wants of the poor, but not of all the poor indiscriminately and perpetually. The Great Author of all real benevolence does not pursue such a course himself; for by his providence, while the hand of the diligent maketh rich, the sluggard and the spendthrift are reduced to want. As a general rule, the sober, honest, and industrious prosper under the smiles of Heaven, while the intemperate, dishonest, and idle are driven away in their iniquities. If a man will not work he should not eat, through the misguided tenderness of individuals, or the inconsiderate liberality of the public. Were any one perishing at our door, we ought to feed him, unless we had satisfactory evidence that he would not work; but so soon as we know that any one's sufferings are the result of voluntary idleness, we ought to say," from the heart we pity, while we blame you; but it is the command of God, that you should be left to starve.' This course of conduct, if generally adopted in relation to all sturdy beggars, would soon bring them to industry.

When persons profess to be willing to work for their food, it is well to try them; and we should find most commonly, that the most clamorous vagrants would soon belie their professions. The writer has tried the experiment, more than once, on a stout, able-bodied applicant for help, who told a piteous tale of wanting work, and of suffering nearly to starvation; and he found that the impostor would not split wood for an hour to gain a day's subsistence. He went off, saying that he could get his living at an easier rate.