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eived by flattering expectations? Oh how easy, how mild, is the dominion of virtue and religion in comparison of the cruel and oppressive yoke of a sinful, unchristian temper and conduct! How much heavier are the burdens borne to the end of his days by the man who leads such a life, than those which he endeavours thereby to avoid, and which so soon would cease to be burdensome to him!'

As we frequently hear remarks on the want of happiness in the marriage state, we extract a paragraph from the Sermon on the Causes of the Deficiency in Domestic Pleasure and Happiness, which may help to remove some of the evils that are the subjects of complaint:

'Defect of mutual esteem and affection is therefore the first and certainly one of the leading causes of the defect in domestic pleasure and domestic happiness. Would I court the society and the converse, could I be brisk and gay in the society and converse of one of whom I entertain an ill opinion, to whom I ascribe no good qualities, no honest sentiments, no merits in regard to myself or ethers, whom I think incapable of teaching me anything, of helping and assisting me in anything, or of contributing anything to my happiness? And how frequently is not this the case between relatives and members of families! How frequently is it not sordid interest or blind passion that knits the most sacred and indissoluble of all ties! And when once the charm of the purchased or inveigled prize has lost its novelty, when passion gives way to calm reflection, how soon must that connection be weakened or dissolved which was only cemented by lucre or passion! This gross deception however cut of the case, how frequently do we build our domestic happiness on expectations that are contrary both to the nature of man and of things! We expect from human beings superhuman perfection capacities without limitation, virtues without a flaw, light without shade. We expect pleasure without any trouble, joy without any appendage of sorrow and care. Is the expectation, as it cannot be otherwise, unfulfilled? we imagine ourselves deceived, defrauded: overlook all the beautiful and good that really exists in the object of our disappointment; esteem it not according to its intrinsic worth, but according to the extravagant, fantastical image which we had previously formed of it; enumerate all the real and imaginary blemishes of it with the atmost accuracy, and complain of unmerited misfortune. How can mutual esteem and affection be there, and how without it domestic happiness be enjoyed! Consequences not less pernicious frequently attend on imprudence. We should be led almost to imagine that domestic life, that the nuptial tie exempts us from the obligation of observing the rules of propriety and decorum. We therefore entirely cease from keeping a guard over ourselves and preserving a clear consciousness of our actions, resign ourselves without reserve to our natural or assumed infirmities and failings, make no scruple of shewing ourselves in an unfavourable or disgusting Night, abuse the rights of familiarity and frankness even to insult, and are apt to persuade our selves, that persons, who are so intimately connected together, have

no need of reciprocal indulgence and candour. How very much, however, by such imprudent behaviour, must esteem and affection, those two main columns of domestic happiness, be shaken! How much more frequently must this sort of conduct alienate the hearts of those who are guilty of it, than unite them more completely together! How much oftener disturb and embitter their union and Their intercourse, than alleviate and sweeten it! No, my pious hearers, would ye enjoy domestic happiness, raise it on the solid basis of tenderness and esteem. Never expect more of one another, than either party, according to your several capacities, endowments, education, circumstances and situation, is able to afford. Expect not from one another faultess, perfect, and uninterrupted satisfaction, but always a variety of imperfections and frailties, a variety of troubles and uneasiness. Accustom yourselves therefore to remark rather the good and excellent, than the bad and defective, that either of you possess, and be as careful to hold up to the light and to rejoice in the forme, as to excuse and conceal the latter. Shew either to other the greater tenderness and indulgence, the greater opportunity and means you have of more clearly perceiving the proximate and remoter occasions of your mutual infirmities and failings. At the same time never, never lose sight yourself of what is proper and decorous; let reciprocally the other perceive as little as possible your failings and defects; let neither be indifferent to the judgment and approbation of the other, but each of you take pains to convey to the other, by the use of all legitimate and allowable means, a good opinion of yourself, or to confirm it if already entertained. Thus alone can you be animated by mutual esteem and tenderness, and when you are animated by them, what sources of domestic pleasure will they not open to you! Where will it be possible for you to seek and find greater satisfaction and felicity, than where you may safely reckon upon mutual tenderness and esteem?"

From these quotations, the reader will see how well qualified was the author for discussing the subjects which he undertook. To some, probably, his style may appear too diffuse; yet the reason of this is sufficiently explained, when it is considered that the discourses were written for the purpose of being delivered separately; and that, from an anxiety to place his subjects in a variety of lights, he could not well avoid a seeming concurrence of ideas. His mode of expression is on the whole perspicuous and impressive, often lively, and generally pleasing. His rules for the general conduct of life shew how far he studied the duties of mankind in their several relations, and are of the highest value.-Though the religious sentiments contained in these volumes may not altogether accord with those which are by us termed orthodox, yet they are not obtruded on the reader; the opinions, which differ from those that are generally received, are brought forwards only when the nature of the subject required them; and when they are expressly stated, they are offered in a conciliating manner. Those persons, who may be dissatis

fed with the author on account of some of the doctrines which he teaches, will likewise be displeased with him for not more frequently quoting and using the language of scripture, and on this account will think that many of the sermons deserve rather the title of Moral Discourses than that which is given to them: but, though the subjects are certainly treated in a manner too refined and philosophical for the majority of mankind, as the congregation of the author consisted chiefly of the higher classes, the consideration of this circumstance will in a great measure justify the style which he used. Whatever objections some readers may make to his doctrines and choice of words, all pious persons must be pleased with his earnestness and animation, and must allow him ample credit for his forcible exhortations to the practice of virtue.

With respect to the translation, not having the original at hand, we cannot ascertain its fidelity: but from the character of the language we have every reason to expect that justice has been rendered to the author. We observe, however, some objectionable expressions; and we occasionally find words, which represent only general ideas, used to express particular significa tions; that is, words in the plural number which do not admit of a plural, such as, existences, eternities, felicities, assistances, &c. We marked also several terms which are either not sanctioned by the best writers, or are become too obsolete for discourses of this nature; such as caducity, fugaciousness, offuscate, effectuate, appetences, abnegation, exundation, unimpededly, &c. Our language has more intelligible expressions, by which the ideas here intended to be represented may be expressed, and the translator would do well to avoid using them in future. These blemishes, however, are comparatively trifling; in a work in which effect is more to be considered than polished elegance and refined correctness of style.

ART. VI. A Grammar of the Greek Tongue, on a new and improved Plan. By John Jones, Member of the Philological Society at Manchester. 12mo. pp. 360. 6s. Boards. Longman and Co.

AN attempt to facilitate the acquisition of a language of such

elegance and importance as the Greek must meet with some commendation, even though the merit of the performance should fall short of our expectations: but when a person possessed of real erudition, and critical acumen, exerts his powers in this department, his labours claim the approbation and applause of the learned world; to which he renders the most essential service, Truly laudable are his efforts who smooths the way to

the

the perusal of those invaluable writers, whose excellence has borne the test of ages; from whom the moderns have imbibed the principles of science and of taste; and to whom they are indebted for the best models in the art of composition.

In order to succeed in an undertaking of this nature, and to improve on the labours of the learned men who have written on the subject, considerable abilities are necessary; he who attempts the task with any probability of success must be endowed with shrewdness and sagacity for the discovery of analogies, and a sound judgment to decide on them; he must be well versed in a variety of authors, and acquainted with their habits of thought and modes of expression; and he must also possess a knowlege of kindred languages, and be enabled to make use of it for the elucidation of the points under dicussion. The title-page of the present volume informs us that the Grammar is on a new plan; an intimation which may probably induce the curious inquirer to examine its contents: but we are also told that it is on an improved plan: here the author decides on the merit of the performance, and forestalls the opinion of the reader, when it would be much more proper to leave any such improvement for the discovery of those who peruse it. Every author, who gives a work to the public on a subject which has been treated by several predecessors, may state that the plan is new: but, with regard to its being an improvement, his publication of it implies his own opinion, and therefore such an assertion is unnecessary as well as unbecoming.

In examining this grammar according to its professions, our notice is first attracted by the language in which it is written, and which is English: in this respect it is comparatively new, though not absolutely: but whether this be or be not an improvement is a question which will excite different opinions. To encounter the difficulties which attend the acquisition of a strange language, the use of our own seems most reasonable, because the statement of rules, of analogies, and of minute exceptions, in any other dialect, adds obstacles to no purpose; yet, notwithstanding this objection, the advocates for the teaching of Greek through the medium of the Latin are not at a loss for arguments to allege in favour of their opinion. They urge that the young classical student, whether at school or under a private tutor, is always taught Latin before Greek, and generally is not required to learn the latter until he is able, with little assistance, to read an easy author in the former: at such a period, they state, it is very proper that, while he begins another language, he should improve himself in that in which he is not perfect; and this is done by acquiring the rules of the

new,

new, written in the old. The Latin, they likewise say, has the advantage of expressing its sense in fewer words than the English; and moreover, that the Greek Grammar in Latin, although apparently adding difficulties in acquiring Greek, is in reality very seldom found to occasion-such to the young student. We think that a Greek Grammar in English, for these reasons, is not likely to be adopted in schools, though it be of considerable advantage to the private student; and its use is certainly confined to an English public.

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Mr. Jones divides his work into three parts, which are subdivided into chapters: the first part relates to the elements of speech, and the declinable words: the second, to contractions, and the formation of words; and the third, to syntax, and the influence of association on the Greek language.

With Chapter I, which treats of Letter, Diphthong, and Syllable, we were much pleased, particularly the decomposition of the double letters; the former being decomposed to the letter joined either to a, e, or o, the second to the letter joined either to x, y, or x, and the latter to the letter ☛ joined to 7,, or 6.-In the chapters on the properties of Nouns are many valuable observations; and among the rest that of ascertaining the genders either by the signification or termination. The Declensions are simplified and reduced to three; the first and second in the Westminster Grammar are consolidated; and the fourth, being the attic dialect of the third, is considered as belonging to it. All the declensions of nouns in the contracted form are referred to the third part of the work.

Mr. Jones's observations in the chapters on the origin and properties of Verbs appear to us so ingenious and important, that we shall lay some of them before our readers:

• Verbs originally were the names of things, or substantives; but by combining with them the personal pronouus, they became in consequence of the association of ideas to express not things, but the operations of things. The conversion of nouns into verbs is easily explained in the following manner. Suppose the personal pronouns to have become by use thus changed:

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Now let these in their corrupted state be annexed to any noun, for instance to avo- wine; and we shall have now wine I,

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thou, as, wine he; oo-op, wine we; avo-er, wine ye; aro-out, wine they.

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When the attention of the speaker or hearer was fixed upon the first of these combinations, the union of the two words which signified him

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