failings, we fly for succour to that divine grace which alone can relieve our wants, let us ever with gratitude remember, that the Lord, who intercedes for that grace, knew, in this emphatic sense," what was in man ;"-He knew, as far as might be without the slightest taint of our original frailty, the waywardness of our hearts, the obstinacy of our minds, the strength of our passions, and the weakness of our resolutions surely it is reasonable to trust that he will relieve the wants himself hath felt, and assist the weakness which his own soul experienced. If we are contending with the seductions of a worldly life, let us be of good cheer: Christ will enable us to overcome the world, for he was tempted with the offer of all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and he acknowledged the difficulty which a rich man finds of entering into the kingdom of heaven. If we are wrestling with the corrupt affections of the flesh, let us not be dispirited by frequent failures, but seek with patience and perseverance the final conquest by the aid of Christ, remembering that he also in the time of his flesh had to withstand, after a fast of forty days, the cravings of impor tunate hunger, and the allurements of vicious intemperance in his intercourse with publicans and sinners. Or if we are compassed with the snares of hell, and tormented by the suggestions of the evil spirit, let us bear in mind, that Christ also was once instigated by that artful deceiver to tempt the providence of God, and doubt not, that He, having seen his craft, will pity our weakness, and by help of the same good sword of the Spirit, eventually give us the victory.

Some there are, who, vexed by the misfortunes of this world, afflicted with loss of health, estate, or friends, are too anxious to leave a scene where nothing but pain awaits them; and even among the more enlightened Christians, many are apt to grow weary with welldoing, and to sink faint-hearted at the prospect of struggles and trials, which are allotted to all for our good throughout our abode on earth. Let such remember, that our Saviour also suffered much and long during the time of his dwelling amongst us; that he too was troubled by the anxiety to complete his work on earth, by the baptism he had to be baptized with, and how he was straitened till it was accomplished. Therefore let them trust, that he will refresh them also when they are weary, enable them to fight the good fight, and having done all, to conquer.

There are others, to whom the apprehension of death, the fear of the dissolution of soul and body, is a source of continual and painful expectation. Might not these find much comfort in reflecting that their terrors were not unfelt by Him, whose sweat was as it were great drops of blood; and, on the recollection of his distress, might not they found the firm assurance, that He will in his good time administer to the wounded spirit the balm of heavenly peace?-Even in that fearful moment, when the body shall return to its kindred dust, and the spirit to the God who gave it, surely the pains which Christ himself suffered, the horrors which extorted that pathetic cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" are a strong ground of assurance that he will not forsake us in our extreme distress; that having himself felt the pangs of dissolution, he will not suffer us at our last hour for any pains of death to fall from him, but will grant

the support which himself needed, and send us the promised comfort in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment.

In that awful day indeed, no less than during our probation here, we may derive the utmost advantage from the circumstance that Christ himself suffered under the pain of temptation. This will render him not only more willing to succour them that are tempted, but also more merciful in judging those who from time to time are overcome by temptation. And such are the very best of us all. Who shall say he is free from sin? Who has not cause to deem it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God? But praised be God, our Judge will be one who has experienced in his own person the difficulties of a good man's way, how hard the task to do that which we ought, how strong the temptation to do that which we ought not. Let this consi

deration assure the humble Christian that he will be tried only according to his use of the talent committed to his charge, and not have more required of him at that day, than his Judge well knows is possible to man. His experience of our nature thus renders him at once more able to succour and more ready to forgive; a Priest more apt to make reconciliation for our sins, and a Judge, who knowing whereof we are made, in the midst of judgment will remember mercy.

It is a far more pleasant, as well as more easy task, to console the humble, than to alarm and arouse the wicked; but when we state those doctrines of the Gospel which are most suited to console a sincere but weak Christian, it becomes necessary to guard against their being understood as any encouragement to those who deliberately live and still intend to live in the practice of any one known sin. For such, the text and these considerations offer no delusive comfort; to them the remembrance of Christ's human nature must needs suggest far other feelings. They who never intend in their hearts to amend their ways,-they whose weak intentions are polluted by a longing for the sins they should forsake, they who pray not to God for succour, but trust in their own unassisted strength,-how can these remember with anything like satisfaction, that Christ knows, by the experience of his own temptations, what is in man? He knows that man can pray for the Holy Spirit, and by his aid can turn from sin and amend his doings: but these either do not pray for spiritual assistance, or do despite to it when granted. He knows that man has power to frequent the house of God, to learn his will, and to worship his name; but these desert his church, neglect his ordinances, and turn a deaf ear to that Word of his, which alone can make them wise unto salvation. They can have no hope to profit by the goodness they have abused, the mercy they have mocked, or the wisdom they have set at nought. The argument of St. Paul should induce them to amend their lives, and make the best use of the blessings which are yet vouchsafed to them; it should teach them that the excellence of God's mercy only increases the guilt of those who obstinately resist it. "Therefore," says he, "we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"

C. G.

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

ART. I.-Highmore on the Public Charities in and near London.

Cradock and Joy. 1814.

Svo.

The London Charity Almanack for the Year 1823. 18mo. Murray, 1824.

"JOHNSON. Saunders Welch, the Justice, who was once High Constable of Holborn, and had the best opportunities of knowing the state of the poor, told me that I underrated the number, when I computed that twenty a week, i. e. above a thousand a year, died of hunger; not absolutely of immediate hunger, but of the wasting and other diseases which are the consequences of hunger."Boswell's Life of Johnson, Vol. 2. p. 433.

As long as the physical structure of the human body, the climate of this country, and other natural causes, remain the same, the population of England, physiologically speaking, might continue to double itself with uniform rapidity. But the continually increasing difficulty of procuring food, limits this rapidity of increase. For instance, when the population is so small as only to require the cultivation of very fertile lands, it is easy, by a small increase of human labour, to provide for a large increase in the population; but when every thing but heaths, and swamps, and bogs, is brought under cultivation to supply the wants of a closely packed population, and when the policy of the legislature, right or wrong, forbids the importation of foreign produce, it is impossible, by any exertion, to find sustenance for anything but the most limited increase of the consumers. If a greater increase does take place, it is cut down to the proper limit by the distressing progress of disease and imperceptible starvation. An enormous proportion of the labouring classes are born only to a life of protracted want, and the pains and death which follow it. The man who voluntarily promotes the increase of population beyond the means of subsistence, is a murderer; he whose indolence overlooks results, or whose ostentation disregards them, is almost answerable for the consequences he refuses to foresee.

We most earnestly implore a dispassionate hearing from our readers on a subject of intense interest. We are painfully eager fairly to meet the question which intelligent persons have for some time raised, on the effects of many of our public charities.

We set out by assuming that charity looks only to the promotion of the happiness of our fellow-creatures. By this criterion alone, we shall assay the purity of those principles on which our own charitable institutions are grounded.

God forbid that we should refuse our admiration to those who have hitherto sacrificed their own comforts in supporting even those institutions we condemn; provided they have done it in sincere benevolence,

without a single doubt from their own hearts or from others, of the good effects of their alms: on our own side, we hope that few of those good persons will be weak enough to refuse to listen to our arguments for fear they should discover their charity has been in vain. Once for all we say, our arguments are addressed solely to those who wish for the happiness of mankind. We have a solemn conviction of their truth; and, following the duty which arises from that conviction, we fearlessly despise the blustering of the ostentatious, and the sneers of the prejudiced.

We shall make no apology for examining the question to the bottom, and sifting it even with the dulness of arithmetical exactness. Our object is by no means to write an entertaining article.

The human species is fruitful enough to double itself in a few years. In climates like our own, it has actually been seen to double itself in twenty-five years. In this country, we are now able to increase our subsistence at a rate which would double our stock in about eighty years. It is quite clear then that our population cannot increase much faster. How is it kept back? how is it prevented from doubling itself in twenty-five years? There are two causes, and two only. The first is the painful check mentioned by Johnson in the passage we have quoted; the second is that prudence, which is the fruit of intellect and education, and which prevents us from marrying before we can feed our children. Let us keep steadily in view then this certain fact, which has been proved over and over again by demonstrations and experience of every sort; that wherever an increase is made to our stock of subsistence, an increase of population will immediately ensue to consume it.

Taking this principle as the first step, and the nature of wages for the second, we can prove, we think, with exact certainty, that the effect of a large portion of our public charities is this, viz. to leave those persons who are the immediate objects of the charity as poor and distressed as before, and the rest of the lower classes far more so. Would to God there were more paradox than truth in this; and would to God the ill effects of blinded charity were confined to their own districts unhappily it injures all, without assisting a few.

We prove it thus; and most happy should we be to be refuted. Suppose 251. a year just enough to purchase for a labourer the food and commodities which the custom and habits of the country have made his necessaries, and to support the average wants of a family. And suppose there is just enough employment for the labourers:- If any one of these labourers were to take it into his head to ask for 301. would he get it? No.-Why not? Because their employers would be unable to maintain as many labourers as before, at the increased rate, and therefore wages must remain stationary, or some of the

labourers remain idle: but of course these latter will take 25l. instead of nothing, and by competition all will. Still, no doubt, wages are liable to rise and fall, although 251. might remain enough, and just enough, for the labourer's wants. For instance, if there be either an accidental diminution in the population, or a new source of employment be opened, &c., then, there being a demand for more labourers than exist, the competition of their employers raises wages until the whole fund destined to the employment of labour is engaged, -say to 30l.; Well, what follows? This increase of wages is an increase to the labourer's stock of subsistence--more families can live on it than before-population increases-more labourers come into the market-they will all take 251. rather than nothing-and thus wages will again settle at their natural level.

So, on the other hand, suppose wages fall below 251. from an increase of population, or a diminution in the funds of the employers of labour. Suppose, for instance, that the competition of the labourers brings wages down to 20%. By the hypothesis, 251. was just enough to support the labouring classes and their families. They now get less. Their numbers are diminished by the cruel causes above mentioned.-Fewer labourers come into the market-wages rise and once more settle at the rate which is sufficient to support the people. Probably, indeed, wages may be kept permanently below this level, by the permanent imprudence of the uneducated, who continue to marry and linger on to their graves: but it is obvious that there is a constant and obstinate tendency in the market rate of wages, to settle in equilibrio with the natural rate of wages; by the former, meaning that which is adjusted by the competition of labourers and masters,-by the latter, the sum necessary, and just necessary, to support the labourers and their families.

Still supposing 251. to be that necessary sum, let us next imagine that a number of charitable individuals contribute large funds, with a view of augmenting the comforts of the labourer, or diminishing his wants. Suppose their charity liberal and wide-spreading--that half the population receive the well-meant favours. Suppose the labourer saves 51. a year by sending his wife to a lying-in hospital, his children and himself to dispensaries, by receiving coals and blankets at Christmas, &c. &c. &c. Half the labouring population is now as wealthy as if each received 301. instead of 251. This permits, and there immediately ensues, a proportional increase of population, and the increased competition tends to bring down wages from 251. to 20., at which time they would still receive 251. in all, i. e. just enough to support themselves and their families. In the meantime, what becomes of the other half of the labouring population, whom the stream of charity, wide as it is, cannot reach? Can they come into the market