in privation there was lust in possession."-"Desirous of happiness, I feared it where it was to be found, and fleeing from it sought it.""When men make a bad use of their good natures, God makes a good use of their bad wills."* -"Since by the rhetorical art both truth and falsehood may be supported, who can consent that the latter shall have its defenders and that the former shall be left destitute;-that the supporters of error shall know how to attract, conciliate and persuade, and that the supporters of truth shall not know;—that the former shall narrate what is false with brevity, perspicuity and verisimilitude, and that the latter shall present truth in a tedious, prolix and unconvincing manner;—that the former shall assail truth with false arguments, and the latter be unable either to defend the truth, or refute error;-that the former, in misleading the minds of men, shall impel them by terror, grief and passion, or attract them by hilarity and wit, and the latter shall languidly and frigidly slumber over the truth.""Logic is not to be rejected by the theologian, as a human invention. The logician no more creates the relations of truth, than the astronomer creates the stars."-"There are rules of eloquence which are in themselves true, though they may be employed in supporting error. No human being is the author of the law that kind expressions conciliate, that a clear narrative makes an impression, or that variety pleases. These laws are established by a Higher Power, and are to be employed in exhibiting truth."§-"But let no one suppose that either logic or eloquence will put him in possession of that truth which is eternal life, any more than a description of the foot and its motions, will enable a lame man to walk."- "Some men think that every mode of life differing from their own is wrong, not considering that there is nothing in their own customs which would not, according to this rule, be condemned by men of other countries or other times. From this infinite variety of opinions, some others, nodding, though not quite asleep, have been led to suppose, that there is nothing right in itself, but that every thing is right to him who thinks it so; to whom I make this brief reply, that no diversity of national customs alters or affects the rule, 'do not to another what you would not have done to yourself.””.

* Quisquis bonus verusque Christianus est, Domini esse intelligat ubique invenerit veritatem. Doct. Christ., II, 18. Imbecilitas membrorum infantilium innocens est, non animus infantium. Conf. I, 1. Majorum nugae negotia vocantur; puerorum talia cum sint, puniuntur a majoribus. Conf. 1, 9. Nemo invitus bene facit, etiam si bonum est, quod facit. Conf. I, 12. Beatus qui amat te, et amicum in te, et inimicum propter te. Conf. IV, 9. Te nemo amittit, nisi qui dimittit. Ibid. Dicesset [Christus] ab oculis, ut redeamus ad cor, et inveniamus eum [a little expanded in the translation, in order to bring out the full sense.] Conf. IV, 12. Non est in carendo difficultas, nisi quum est in habendo cupiditas. Doct. Christ., III, 18. Amans beatam vitam, timebam illam in sede sua, et ab ea fugiens quaerebam eam. Conf. VI, 11. Cum male utuntur naturis bonis, ipse bene utitur etiam voluntatibus malis. De Civ. Dei, XI, 17. The following is the passage from which the Pelagian Controversy originated: Da quod jubes, et jube quod vis. Conf. X, 37. "Grant what thou requirest, and require what thou wilt" Pelagius, while a stranger to Augustine, happening to hear this passage quoted by a friend, was displeased with it, and objected to it; and this small beginning led to great and unforeseen results.-The critical reader has observed, in the quotations above made, a strong propensity on the part of Augustine to play upon words. We have given these passages in the original, partly on account in their interesting character, and partly because they could not be perfectly represented in a translation. a matter of critical honesty, we give one of the worst specimens of bad taste, begging the reader to excuse us from translating it. Quid miserius misero non miserante se ipsum? Conf. I, 13. But even this is outdone by Tholuck, who, in the second volume of his Sermons, p. 404, thus exhorts his hearers: "Therefore die, before you die, that you may not die when you die !"

† Doctrina Christiana, IV, 2.

Ibid., II, 32.

Ibid., II, 36.

As

"As a small circle is as perfect as a larger one, so the act of doing well in the least things is as praiseworthy as in the greatest."-"The first aim of the preacher should be to speak wisely; the next to speak eloquently. He will speak wisely in proportion as he is versed in the Scriptures, not by reading them frequently, and committing them to memory, but by searching out their import, and understanding them. Some read negligently, merely for the sake of the words without the ideas; others, less intent upon words, and looking into the heart of the Scriptures, do better; and those do better still, who, while they comprehend the spirit of the Bible, have its language also at their command."

"If any one ask, whether the sacred writers are to be regarded as being wise merely, or as being also eloquent, I reply, that so far as I understand them, nothing can be more wise, nothing more eloquent. There is one kind of eloquence which becomes the young, another which becomes the old. Nothing deserves to be called eloquence, which does not comport with the character of the speaker. So, also, there is a manner which best suits men of venerable character and of divine authority. The inspired men have spoken in such a way, that to have spoken otherwise, would not have become them; nor would it become others to speak as they have done. Their manner excels that of others in solidity, as much as it falls short in pretension." +

"Of what avail is the most polished language, if the hearers do not apprehend its meaning?-Let the idea be perfect, even though the language be imperfect. This is the more necessary in popular assemblies, since there is no opportunity there, as in conversation, to ask for explanation. An assembly that is greedy of knowledge, will show signs of understanding or not understanding what is said; and so long as there are indications that an idea is not comprehended, let it be held up to view, and exhibited under different forms of expression. This is an advantage, of which they cannot avail themselves, who are confined to a previous preparation. But as soon as your meaning is apprehended, either proceed to something else or close your discourse; for as a speaker pleases his hearers by presenting what is new or unknown, so he offends them by inculcating what is trite."§

"The true preacher trusts more to the power of prayer than to the charms of eloquence. He becomes a petitioner for himself and for his audience, before he becomes an orator. At the very time he is to speak, before moving his tongue, he lifts his thirsty soul to God, that may be able to pour out of his heart that which has flowed into it from God."

he

"In producing an effect upon an audience, the life of the preacher has far more power than any force of language."

EDITOR.

Doctrina Christiana, IV, 5.

† Ibid., IV, 6.

In another place he says: Quid enim prodest clavis aurea, si aperire quod volumus non potest? Aut quid obest lignea, si hoc potest? Of what use is a golden key, if it does not unlock what we desire? What objection to one of wood, if it accomplishes our purpose? But he elsewhere adds a caution to this rule of negligence, Haec [negligentia] tamen sic detrahit ornatum, ut sordes non contrahat. But in laying aside the finer graces of diction, be careful not to contract vulgarity. In regard to congruity, he has this excellent rule: Turpis enim omnis pars est suo universo non congruens,-the spirit of which may be thus given: Even beauty, if it be out of place, becomes a deformity. § Doctrina Christiana, IV, 10.

ARTICLE VI.

OBSERVATORIES.

Report in the House of Representatives, March, 1840, on the Smithsonian Bequest, from the Select Committee, appointed on the subject.

We take up this document,-the ability of which, as it comes from Mr. Adams, we hardly need vouch for,—with a peculiar interest at this time, on account of the prominence it gives to one theme at least, of unusual and general importance, popular, practical and scientific, to say nothing here of the country's reputation, which is a consideration by itself.

It has long been known among those whose particular tastes and studies have attracted their attention to the subject, that we are but indifferently provided, in the United States, with the means of prosecuting astronomical observations and researches as that important science demands. The case is, indeed, not quite so bad as Mr. Adams himself, as well as some other writers, have represented; but it is bad enough still. There is a small observatory in the process of erection at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, it is said, for the use of the university in that place. Professor Hopkins, of Williams College, in our own State, also reigns over some little establishment of the sort, as we understand: but this is about all in Massachusetts,-all in New England! The only other establishment in the United States, so far as we can hear, is that belonging to the Western Reserve College, situated in Hudson, Portage Co., Ohio, and now under the charge of Professor Loomis, of the institution last named. There is nothing of the kind, it is well known, at our national seat of government. All the propositions made to establish one, something corresponding to the National Observatories of other civilized countries,-have utterly failed. Even Harvard University, with all its antiquity, revenue, science and renown, has, thus far, failed in this depart

VOL. V.-NO. XVII.

12

ment, though we are glad to hear, by the way,—and it is this rumor which has partly suggested these remarks,that they are at length "breaking ground" at Cambridge for a small establishment. A house or houses, considered to be very suitable for this purpose, and to be well located, have been purchased, and are being fitted up; and our learned, though self-trained fellow-citizen, Mr. Pond (of Roxbury, heretofore), is already engaged pretty actively about the premises, we believe, in a series of magnetic and other observations. The site is not high, but that is not needed. There is a common mistake on this point, nothing more than a clear range of view being wanted. There is not in all Cambridge, probably, a spot with an elevation of more than one hundred feet, and that, Mount Auburn, would, of course, be unattainable.

Speaking of mistaken impressions, we apprehend that something of the present state of things in the astronomical department, as we have described it, may be attributed to an opinion, generally prevalent, that a very great expense is involved. Now it is true, that large observatories, like those of Greenwich, Konigsburg, and Dorpat, require, in the present state of science, large telescopes, the art of dividing having been carried so far that small instruments are not sufficient. The necessity for large telescopes for the meridian instruments, as well as for other uses, renders such an establishment very costly, and requires that it shall be independent of others. But smaller observatories may also be useful to science; such a one, for example, as would be furnished by a room with a solid foundation, connected with a second having a free horizon; the first to have cuts, north and south and east and west, the second to have a turning dome. It has been represented that the following named instruments would be suitable for such an observatory:

1. A meridian circle with a 42 inch telescope and a

20 inch circle,..

2. A telescope of 72 inch focal length,.

3. An astronomical clock,..

4. A chronometer,.....

.....

5. A small transit instrument,

1,000 Rix dollars

or about $3,000.

6. Small telescopes, barometers, thermometers, &c.

A theodilite, &c.,

A small observatory would thus be furnished for about three thousand dollars; and it is justly remarked, that such a one will be well adapted to form observers, since the art of handling instruments so as to obtain accurate results, is only to be acquired by practice. It is proper, we think, that a knowledge of these facts should be circulated among us. Some of them are suggestions, lately communicated by Prof. Encke, of Berlin, to one of his American correspondents. (The information collected by Mr. Adams we shall presently notice.)

And this reminds us of the new comet, called Galle's, in honor of the Professor's assistant, who discovered it Feb. 2d, when it is stated, having computed a description of it on the same day, that distinguished astronomer forwarded the elements of its orbit to Professor Schumacher, at Hamburg, editor of an astronomical journal there, in which they were published. This was received by a scientific gentleman, in Philadelphia, a subscriber to that work, and a translation was forwarded to Professor Loomis, in Hudson, who has, we should say here, a superior set of astronomical instruments, which were made under his own inspection in Europe. The elements reached him on the 14th of March, and we see from a Cincinnati journal, of a later date, that he has had excellent success in availing himself of the data furnished him. The comet is not visible to the naked eye, and will not be; but its movements have been accurately ascertained, in unison with the calculations of Professor Encke. There is something agreeable and gratifying in such a coöperation. We hope soon to see the time when a great deal more of it, and of what is kindred to it in other departments, shall exist between America and Europe.

We have intimated that other civilized countries had taken the lead of us in this matter. We might, perhaps, have enlarged that term with propriety, for we see by the latest advices that Mehemet Ali has come out for the promotion of philosophical inquiry. It seems the Royal Society of London made an application through the British government some time ago, to be allowed to construct an observatory in Egypt, for magnetic and meteorological observations. On the communication of this wish, his Highness answered that he would build it at his own expense, and he has accordingly given instructions for its erection, and