no balls-no theatres-no crowded rooms-no intriguesno rules for concealing dark designs under fair appearances and even the glories of the chace, the astonishing abilities of man in the art of destruction, and the mirth with which he celebrates his atchievements, if mentioned, are only mentioned with regret. What then can be found in the following pages to afford pleasure to animals of thy class, who seldom or never, weigh the truth or falsehood of any position? Being animated by sense only, of what value can intellectual or spiritual entertainments prove to thee? Contempt and disgust are the only sensations that I expect will be produced in thy bosom by the doctrines of my book; but if notwithstanding this faithful advertisement, thou should ramble through the following pages in pursuit of pleasure; beware lest those sensations which are the offspring of a blind and sensual mind, and which as they arise, may serve as a mirror to reflect the deformity of thy soul, be madly taken by thee for the suggestions of reason, or for the emanations of a noble and exalted spirit; which, although a common error, is, in the catalogue of thy follies, the most absurd and ridiculous of all.

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From thy ignorance of the joys of a thinking being, from thy thoughtlessness about the valuable purposes of life, and the improvements of which society is capable; and from thy total inattention to the future and eternal destiny of man; what can be expected? What, but a consultation of thy own sensual appetites, about the best mode of gratifying them; and in this wretched chace, how often are the fences of religion, morality,

and good government overturned, and the interests of thy neighbour made to bleed, to gratify thy pleasures.

In order if possible to induce thee to forsake these low pursuits; let me conjure thee to come and taste those pleasures, which result from an improvement of thy rational powers; from the contribution of thy time and talents to the comfort and well-being of the poor, the moral and political improvement of society, and above all, the future and eternal interests of thy species. Taste these pleasures, and in order taste them with true enjoyment-endure as thou art able the severities of virtueand after having trod for a season in the path of glory, and improved thy nature as a man; the following contemplations will become more acceptable to thy taste; nor will their author, (altho' bowed down with infirmity, and covered with reproach,) be found to have lived in vain, if in the hand of Heaven, he should prove an unworthy instrument of promoting thy final happiness.

ROLL

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TENNIS BALL, &c.

DIFFICULTIES TO BE ENCOUNTERED IN THE WORK OF REFORMATION-ENERGY AND EFFECTS OF LOVE, EXEMPLIFIED IN THE CONDUCT OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN, AND IN THAT OF ST. JOHN-NEGLIGENCE OF SECTS IN THE PURSUIT AND RECOVERY OF SEPARATISTS AND BACKSLIDERS.

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AS public and general evils, have the sanction of public and general consent, so he who presumes to point them out, must prepare to meet with public and general resentment-neither the goodness of his cause, nor the sincerity of his designs, will protect him from the “ strife of tongues"-he must commit his cause to a higher power, and without studying to offend the weakness of nature, rise superior to its malice. He may have a larger or smaller measure of these infirmities himself; but if perfectly free from them all, this would not secure him from

public resentment. Socrates was misrepresented by his country men, and at last poisoned for his attempts to reform them. A greater than Socrates was galled with the grossest affronts; accused of blasphemy by the first pretenders to wisdom, and at last crucified as a malefactor. Luther who knew the fate of all who had preceded him in the work of reformation, and who saw the difficulties which he had to encounter, was not prevented by these considerations, from attempting the reformation of his church. And altho' both Luther and the church which he reformed were very imperfect, yet he laboured faithfully according to his light and capacity, to serve his generation-and notwithstanding his memory continues to be loaded with infamy, by the supporters of that system, which he exposed as injurious to the rights of mankind; yet he is now placed beyond the reach of malice, and can look down with pity upon the momentary interests, and unhappy passions which distract our world.

The author of the following contemplations, still more imperfect than Luther, and with but little pretension to his abilities, is nevertheless not ashamed to acknowledge, that he feels an interest in the cause which Luther had begun, and which has been brought to still greater perfection by his successors in the work of reformation-and although the generality of mankind, feel little or no interest in subjects of this nature, and are alike indifferent whether the work of reformation goes forward or backward; yet the true friends of civil and religious freedom, cannot but perceive and lament, that in proportion as the protestant churches of Europe, have relaxed in their

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