however, which it received, was either too feeble or too momentary to perpetuate its name upon the stage.

We cannot wonder that the severe disappointments to which Mr. Logan was doomed, should prey with more than common keenness upon a mind uncommonly susceptible; or, that the melancholy, more or less congenial to the poet's temperament, should assume a darker and more gloomy cast in a breast constitutionally subject to languour and depression, when blasted in its fondest hopes.

To augment and perpetuate his troubles, he was now involved in disputes with his parish, originating probably in religious antipathies, awakened by the appearance of his play, and to which some irregularities the depression of his spirits had induced, gave additional weight, while they afforded a more feasible plea for separation.

From this period his life began gradually to decline. To avoid a tedious litigation with his parishioners, Mr. Logan preferred the only alternative, by entering into an agresment with the Kirk Session to retire from his office on a moderate annuity: this was concluded in 1786. He had, in the month of October the year preceding, retired to London, and was for some time engaged in the English Review.-It is generally understood, that the View of Ancient History, which passes under the name of Dr. Rutherford, was written by Logan.

The last of his literary labours was an anonymous pamphlet, which excited a considerable sensation in the metropolis; it is intituled, "A Review of the Principal Charges against Mr. Hastings." It contains some severe animadversions on the mode in which the prosecution was conducted: which the House of Commons construing into a breach of their privileges, they ordered the Attorney General to prosecute the publisher, Mr. Stockdale. He was accordingly tried in December 1789, and acquitted.

Mr. Logan died on the 28th of December 1733, in the 40th year of his age.

His books and manuscripts were given by his testament to Dr. Robertson and Dr. Donald Grant, from the produce of which the sum of £600, bequeathed to his friends and relations, was to be paid.

In 1790, the first volume of Logan's SERMONS was published, under the eye of Drs. Robertson, Hardy and Blair. The second volume appeared the following year; and before the end of 1793, both volumes had undergone a third impression. The sermons published were selections only from the manuscripts. There were materials for another volume; but whether want of leisure or the judgment of the editors prevented the publication of them, is unknown.

The following notice respecting Mr. Logan's papers was given by Dr. Robertson.*

"Those in verse consist of Electra, a tragedy; the Wedding-day, a tragedy, being a translation into blank verse of the Deserteur of Mercier; the Carthaginian Heroine, a tragedy, but of which there is only the first act finished; and about half-a-dozen short lyric poems. Those in prose consist of about eight numbers of an intended periodical paper, called the Guardian: the subject of one of the numbers is a capital essay on the genius and writings of Addison. Besides these, I have also in my possession Mr. Logan's MS. Lectures on the Roman History. His Lectures on Roman History begin with Romulus, and come down to the fall of the empire, and the establishment of the feudal system. In the small volume of poems published under the title of Poems by Michael Bruce, the following were composed by Logan Damon, Menalcas, and Melibus; Pastoral

* To Dr. Robert Anderson, the author of the Life prefixed to Logan's Poems in his edition of the Works of the British Poets.

Song, to the tune of the Yellow-hair'd Laddie; Eclogue, in the manner of Ossian; Ode to a Fountain; two Danish Odes; Chorus of Anacreontic to a Wasp; the Tale of Levina, (278 lines) in the рост of Lochleven; Ode to Paoli; Ode to the Cuckoo."

SERMON I.

PSAL. xxvii. 4.

One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

DAVID, the author of this psalm, is much celebrated

in the sacred Scriptures. As a man, he was not without faults: but as a king, he shines with uncommon lustre. He distinguished himself, in early youth, as the champion of his native land; in fighting the battles of Israel he became the hero of his age; and at last he ascended the throne, on which he sat with much splendour during many years. He was the founder of the Jewish monarchy. From being separate tribes, he made the Jews a nation. Their judge in peace, as well as their leader in war, he secured by his councils what he gained by his arms, and gave to Judea a name and a renown among the kingdoms of the East. To the bravery of a warrior, and the wisdom of a statesman, he added what in all ages has been no less admired,-the accomplishments of a poet or bard. "The sweet Psalmist of Israel" consecrated his harp to the praises of the Lord, and composed to it sacred strains, that have ministered to the improvement and to the devotion of succeeding times, till this day.

Notwithstanding all his other engagements, he found time for the exercises of religion: notwithstanding all the pleasures and honours of a throne, he found his chief happiness in the house of the Lord. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I scek after, that I may dwell

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in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." Whenever his favourite subject presents itself, he takes fire, and speaks of it, not only with zeal, but with transport. "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."

It becomes then a subject worthy of our attention, to enquire, what there is in the public institutions of religion, to have rendered them an object of so great importance to the king of Israel. This will appear, if we consider their influence on men, with respect to their religious capacity; with respect to their moral character; with respect to their political state; and with respect to their domestic life.

I. Let us consider the influence of religious institutions upon men, with respect to their religious capacity.

There are many qualities which we share in common with the inferior animals. In the acuteness of the external senses, some of them excel our species. They have a reason of their own; they make approaches to human intelligence, and are led by an instinct of nature to associate with one another. They have also their virtues, and exhibit such examples of affection, of industry, and of courage, as give lessons to mankind. But in all their actions they discover no sense of Deity, and no traces of religion. It was reserved to be the glory of man, that he alone should be admitted into the presence of his Creator, and be rendered capable of knowing and adoring the perfections of the Almighty. As piety is the distinguishing mark of the human race, a tendency to the exercise thereof is in some degree natural to the mind. When we look up to heaven, and behold the sun shining in glory, or the moon and the stars walking in brightness, untaught nature prompts us to adore him that made them, to bow down and worship in the temple not made with hands. When we are surrounded by dangers on every side, and overwhelmed with deep affliction, by the law of our nature we tend to some superior Being for safety and relief; or when we are surprised with a sudden flow of unexpected prosperity, spontaneously we lift up our eyes and hands to heaven, to pour forth the grateful effusions of the heart to our unseen Benefactor.

As there are principles, then, in human nature, which