Edious on

thek me the fi

We should now proceed to the more since the Reformation. This must be immediate intention of this paper, to deferred for the present, but we shall consider the versions that have ħither resume the subject in the next Numa to been used in our National Church ber.

But fraile man, daily dying, must
ficiency of freedom, from a want of practice At thy Command returne to Dust:
in writing English verses. Bishop King's Or should he ages last ;
is said to be elegant, but devoid of simpli- Ten thousand yeeres are in thy sight
city. Of Rouse's we shall have ere long But like a quadrant of the Night,
occasion to speak at greater length. Den Or as a Day that's past.
ham and Watts are sufficiently known; and

He by thy Torrent swept from hence ; that by Sandys has always been admired.

An empty Dreame, which mocks the Sense,
He was “ one of the most harmonious ver-

And from the Phansie Aies ;
sifiers of his age;" and his translation of
the Psalms, for variety and harmony of Such as the beauty of the Rose,
verse,--for elegance and sweetness of rythm, which in the dewy Morning blows,

Then hangs the head and dies.
may yet bear competition with any that can
be brought to the trial. Dr Burney's opi. Through daily anguish we expire :
nion of it is, that he “ put the Psalms into Thy anger a consuming Fire,
better verse than they ever appeared in be-

To our offences due.
fore or since." It was first printed in an Our sinnes (although by Night conceal'd,
elegant little volume, at London, in 1636, By shame and feare) are all reveald,
introduced with the following beautiful ad And naked to thy view.
dress to the King :

Thus in thy wrath our yeares we spend ; “ Ovr graver Muse from her long Dreame And like a sad discourse they end; awakes;

Nor but to seventy last:
Peneian Groves, and Cirrha's Caves forsakes: Or if to eighty they arrive,
Inspir'd with zeale, she climes th' Ethereall We then with Age and Sicknesse strive ;
Hills

Cut off with winged haste.
Of Solyma, where bleeding balm distills ; Who knowes the terror of thy wrath,
Where Trees of Life unfading Youth assure, Or to thy dreadfull anger hath
And Living Waters all Diseases cure;

Proportion'd his due feare ?
Where the Sweet Singer, in cælestiall Laies, Teach us to number our fraile daies,
Sung to his solemn Harp Iehovah's praise.

That we our hearts to thee may raise,
From that falne Temple, on her wings, she

And wisely sinne forbeare.
beares
Those Heavenly Raptures to your sacred eares:

Lord, O how long ! at length relent!
Not that her bare and humble feet aspire

And of our miseries repent;
To mount the Threshold of th' harmonious Thy Early Mercy shew :
Quire;

That we may unknowne comfort taste;
But that at once she might Oblations bring For those long daies in sorrow past,
To God; and Tribute to a god-like King.

As long of joy bestow.
And since no narrow Verse such Mysteries, The workes of thy accustom'd Grace
Deep sense ; and high Expressions could Shew to thy Servants, on their race
comprise,

Thy chearefull beames reflect.
Her laboring Wings a larger compasse flie, 0 let on us thy Beauty shine!
And Poesie resolves with Poesie:

Bless our attempts with aide divine,
Lest she, who in the Orient clearly rose,

And by thy Hand direct.”
Should in your Western World obscurely
close."

PSALM CXIV.
To point out the Psalms most entitled to
notice would be difficult, as they all par-

66 When Israel left th’ Ægyptian Land, take of the same harmonious spirit. We

Freed from a tyrannous command ; have selected two, however, as a specimen,

God his owne People sanctifi'd, our limits not admitting more, else we had

And he himselfe became their Guide. also given the 18th and 78th. Some other

Th’ amazed Seas, this seeing, fled; extracts are to be found in Mr Ellis's ad.

And Iordan shrunke into his Head : mirable work, Specimens of English

The cloudy Mountaines skipt like Rams;
Poetry.”

The little Hils like frisking lambs.
PSALM XC.

Recoyling Seas, what caus'd your dread ?

Why, Iordan, shrunk'st thou to thy Head ? 46 0 Thou the Father of us all,

Why, Mountaines, did you skip like Rams 3
Our refuge from th Originall;

And why, you little Hils, like Lambs?
That wert our God, before

Earth, tremble thou before his Face;
The aery Mountaines had their birth, Before the God of Iacobs race ;
Or fabricke of the peopled Earth ;

Who turn'd hard Rockes into a Lake;
And art for evermore.

When Springs from flinty intrailes brake,"

ABSTRACT OF THE

PROPOSED BILL

REMARKS.

tled to give a discharge to the bank, FOR THE PROTECTION OF BANKS notwithstanding their disability in law FOR SAVINGS IN SCOTLAND, WITH

to act for themselves.

5th, That treasurers and other of

fice-bearers through whose hands the [The greater part of this statement origin. money belonging to the society may ally appeared in the Dumfries and Galloway pass, shall be obliged to find security Courier, one of the best conducted provin- for their intromissions, to such amount cial newspapers in this kingdom. It was,

as the regulations of the institution we believe, drawn up by the Rev. Henry require, and that on this security leDuncan, Ruthwell, a gentleman whose name will for ever be honourably associated gal diligence may be done. with the establishment of Banks for Savings the society to act as trustees for the

6th, That the persons appointed by in Scotland. This gentleman is now in Edinburgh, preparing the bill alluded to time being, may bring or defend acfor Parliament, with the advice of some tions in name of the institution in a of our most respectable professional men. court of law, and that such actions, We expect to furnish our readers with an for sums not exceeding £20, shall be argumentative article on the same important brought before the Justice of Peace subject in our next Number.]

Court.

7th, That no friendly society shall Our readers are probably aware, that have a power to expel any of its memMr William Douglas, M. P. for the bers on account of such members Dumfries district of burghs, has ob- having lodged money in a bank for tained leave to bring in a bill for the savings. protection and encouragement of Banks 8th, That depositors may bequeath for Savings in Scotland. We have now their deposits by any written docubefore us a copy of the proposed bill, ment, however informal, provided it and, conceiving the measure to be of be executed in presence of the minister great importance, as connected with or an elder of the parish in which they the welfare of the lower orders, we reside. are happy in having an opportunity of 9th, That the deposits of bastards laying before the public an abstract of may be bequeathed; but, if not beits provisions as follows:

queathed, shall belong to the mother 1st, That persons who are desirous or her relatives. of obtaining the benefit of the act, 10th, That the managers of each savshall have it in their power to do so, ing bank shall be the sole judges of by forming themselves into a society, the evidence of propinquity in cases of and getting their rules sanctioned by unbequeathed deposits, having it in the quarter-sessions, a copy of which their power to apply to the sheriff for rules (either printed or transcribed) advice; and that a schedule shall be being to be deposited with the clerk of carefully drawn up, exhibiting the dethe quarter-sessions, by whom it shall scent of personal property by the rules be filed and preserved ;-which rules of common law, according to the differshall be binding until they be altered ent degrees of propinquity; which scheby the society, and the alteration also dule shall be annexed to the regulabe deposited with the said clerk. tions of every society taking the benefit

2d, That persons having control and of this act, and shall be the rule by direction in the management of these which managers shall be guided in institutions, shall not be entitled to paying over unbequeathed money to any pecuniary benefit on account of the heirs of deceased depositors. their services; but this prohibition is 11th, That no confirmation shall be not to extend to operative persons em- required to be expede on account of ployed in conducting the business, who unbequeathed deposits, and that the tax may receive such salaries and emolu- on succession shall be dispensed with. ments as the rules shall prescribe. 12th, That unclaimed deposits shall,

3d, That no depositor shall be en- after a certain period and due advertitled to claim the benefit of this act tisement, become the property of the for more than a limited sum.

institution, and be applied in defray4th, That all persons who shall ing its expenses, &c. have deposited money in a bank for 13th, That all bills, bonds, and savings, on their own account, shall, other transactions of the society, shall on withdrawing their money, be entia be exempted from stamp duty.

14th, That the managers shall be to be productive of such valuable befreed from responsibility when the nefits to the industrious classes of the money of depositors is lodged in the community. bank prescribed by the rules of the The other provisions contemplated society.

by the bill are of too obvious utility to On perusing this abstract, the reader require any comment; but particular will observe, that there is nothing importance we think should be attachcompulsory in any of the clauses; it ed to those clauses by which it is

probeing proposed, as Mr Douglas states posed to exempt the transactions of the in his speech, " that the bill shall institutions from stamp duties,-to merely extend to such institutions as render legal the discharge granted by a are desirous to avail themselves of its depositor during his minority, &c.-to benefits,” and that even these should enable the managers to pay to the lawbe left to their own discretion with ful heirs, without the expence of conor regard to internal regulations. This, firmation, the money belonging to dewe should think, must remove every ceased depositors,--and to bring more objection to the measure in the minds within the reach of the industrious of the most scrupulous. In England classes the power of bequeathing their there was a necessity for compulsory en

small savings. actments, owing to the precarious state Mr Douglas mentions some objecof many of the country banks; but in tions that have been stated against the Scotland we fortunately stand in a much measure by the managers of the savmore favourable situation. The credit ings bank of Edinburgh, and as the of our public banks in this division of opinion of persons of such high respecthe island is so undoubted, and the tability, whose zeal for the welfare of advantages and facilities they afford these institutions is so well known, are so considerable, as to give peculiar must be of great weight, their objecencouragement to our banks for sav tions require to be examined with ings; and where the proper mode of much attention. The principal reainvesting the funds of these institu son which the gentlemen belonging to tions is so obvious and accessible, any the Edinburgh institution urge for parliamentary interference to restrict their opposition to the bill, is, that it or regulate such investment, would is not called for by existing circumseem, in every point of view, to be stances; no clamant inconvenience highly impolitic. Accordingly, so far from want of legislative interference from proposing to imitate the English having yet occurred. In answer to act in this respect, it is not even in- this, it might be sufficient to shew, tended to give to our Scottish banks that such cases may possibly occur, for savings the option of placing their because, in every point of view, it is deposits in the fund provided for better to prevent an evil than to cure those of the sister kingdom. The bill, it; but those who are at all acquaintindeed, avoids altogether any allusion ed with the detail of the business of to the mode of securing the money banks for savings, as transacted in deposited in these institutions, thus country parishes, cannot fail to be leaving them to avail themselves of struck with the existence of somesuch means as circumstances may ren- thing more than a possible defect in der most advisable. One great object the common law, as applicable to such of it is to give a power to the mana- institutions. Should any of our parish gers to sue and be sued, that they may banks fall into fraudulent hands, the thus be brought more directly under the danger arising from their present unprotection of the law, and that the legal protected situation would be far from disadvantages which attach to the pe- imaginary ;-and a single instance of cuniary transactions of self-constituted embarrassment arising from this cause, bodies

may ·be removed. We do not might be productive of a serious obknow that any material inconvenience stacle to the future success of the syshas yet been felt from the want of the tem. But it must further be observa proposed act; but it seems desirable ed, that inconveniences of immense to guard, as far as possible, against magnitude not only may, but must future contingencies ; because any loss 'take place in the future operations of or heavy expense arising from this these banks, unless protection be imcause, might be detrimental to the mediately procured for them. In case progress of a system which promises of the death of an intestate depositor,

difficulties will certainly occur, with importance in the eyes of many which
regard to succession, which the man- it does not at present possess. There
agers of savings banks are at present is something in the impress of nation-
totally unable to solve, and which al sanction which has a powerful and
cannot fail to be productive of much salutary influence on any plan of pub«
embarrassment and expense to the lic utility. The rich will be stimula
parties. A simple, and, in our o- lated to more vigorous exertions in the
pinion, an effectual remedy is con cause of humanity, and the poor will
templated for this evil. It is pro- feel more confidence in their schemes
posed, that the managers shall be con of economy, when they know that
stituted the sole judges of the evi- what was at first only the sugges-
dence of propinquity, having it in their tion of private benevolence has, af-
power to apply to the sheriff for ad- ter undergoing the ordeal of pub«
vice; and in order to put them in a lic investigation, acquired the supa
situation of judging, with regard to the port of the wisest and highest in the
legal right of heirs, with which they nation, and been enrolled among the
may be presumed to be unacquainted, laws of the land. This is strongly il-
it is intended that a schedule shall be lustrated in the case of friendly soci-
drawn up, exhibiting the law by eties. It is well known that Mr Rose's
which the descent of personal proper- act in favour of these excellent insti-
ty is regulated. This is a provision tutions, so far from exciting jealousy
of such manifest advantage, that were and alarm, was hailed in this country
no other object to be attained by an as a most valuable measure, and has
act of Parliament, it would in our tended, in an extraordinary degree, to
mind be sufficient to justify legislative advance the popularity and success of
interference. It weuld be easy to en the scheme.
large on this subject, but prudential In reference to the objections above
considerations induce us to forbear. stated, great stress has been laid on

The only other objection which ap- the maxim, that all unnecessary le pears to be brought forward by the gislative interference is in itself an gentlemen connected with the Ed- evil. As a general political aphorism, inburgh savings bank is, that the we are inclined to give this observa. introduction of the bill into Parlia- tion much weight; and certainly we ment would excite, in the minds of should be among the last to sanction the poorer classes, a groundless jeal- any wanton infringement on the law ousy and alarm. We have reason to of the land. But even if it were true, believe that this fear is totally un as it certainly is not, that legislative founded. From what we have been interference is in the present inable to learn, after the most diligent stance unnecessary, of all supposeable inquiry, we are convinced that the

cases we conceive there is scarcely one bill, so far from being an object of to which that principle would not jealousy and alarm, is anxiously wish more forcibly apply than to the case ed for by the industrious classes, and now before us. Let us remember for will be received as a most desirable whose benefit it is intended to legisboon. We have seen letters on the late. It is for the benefit of the poor, subject from all parts of Scotland, and of those classes which form so large they uniformly speak the same lan- and so important a part of the comguage. How, indeed, should it be munity, but which have so seldom therwise? The bill does not origin- had occasion to witness the paternal te with government but with the care of Parliament in legislating for eople themselves. It admits of no their exclusive advantage. It is al indue interference with their private leged, that they are apt to be alarmed rights, but simply removes some legal for the interference of the legislature. embarrassments, and extends to them If this be true with regard to the ora degree of protection and encourage- dinary measures of government, of ment, which could not otherwise be which they are the object, such alarm. obtained; and indeed there can be no is not without apparent reason; for doubt that, independent entirely of what are these measures in their more the intrinsic advantages of the meas- obvious aspect and tendency? They ure, the very act of legislative inter are such as, whilst they are doubtless ference would attract more general at- necessary for the well-being of society, tention to the subject, and give it an must appear to the poor and illiterate,

1

who are not capable of taking very concerning the supposed antiquity of enlarged political views, vexatious, op- the poems, proceeded to the more impressive, and grinding. The parlia- mediate subject of the present lecture mentary acts whose operation reaches --Burns. He described the genius of the poor, generally relate to the ex Burns as connected with his body as tension of taxes, or to the rendering well as his mind. He had a real heart more strict and obligatory the laws of flesh and blood beating in his borelative to game, or to the militia. som-you might almost hear it throb. These may all be highly salutary in Burns did not tinkle syren sounds in themselves, but in the eyes of the your ear, or pile up centos of poetic poor they are directly the reverse.

diction;

instead of the artificial flowers Now it does strike us very forcibly as of poetry, he plucked the mountainan object of good policy, to take every daisy under his feet; and a fieidfavourable opportunity of counteract- mouse, hurrying from its ruined dwelling this unfavourable impression, by ing, could inspire him with the sentilegislative enactments of an opposite ments of terror or pity. He held the tendency. There have hitherto, un- plough and the pen with the same happily, been very few such enact- manly grasp: he did not cut out poments. Except the poor laws, and etry as we cut out watch-papers,more recently the friendly society act, with finical dexterity, nor from the we are not at present aware of any same materials. However unlike Burns parliamentary boon to the lower or may be to Shakspeare in the range of ders which can be ranked under the his genius, there is something of the paternal character we contend for. We same magnanimity, directness, and all know with what gratitude the lat- unaffected character, in him. He had ter of these acts has been received, and little of Shakspeare's imagination or there is every reason to believe, that inventive power; but within the narthe bill in question, which is entirely row circle of personal feeling or doof a similar nature, will not be regard- mestic incidents, the pulse of his poed with greater indifference. In fact, etry flows as healthily and vigorously. a measure of the same kind has been Burns had an eye to see, and a heart already accepted in the two sister to feel ;-no more. His pictures of kingdoms with the most unequivocal good fellowship, of social glee, of proofs of approbation and joy. *Assur- quaint humour, come up to nature ; edly, therefore, that man would dise ---they cannot go beyond it. The sly play any thing but political wisdom jest collected in his laughing eye at who should oppose to these advantages the sight of the grotesque and ludia maxim which, however important it crous in manners: the large tear rollmay be as a general principle, does not ed down his manly cheek at the sight apply to the present question. Why of another's distress. deny to Scotland a gift which has been Here Mr Hazlitt, after alluding to so liberally bestowed on other parts of the moral character of Burns, and obthe empire ?

serving that his virtues belonged to his genius, but his vices to his situation, which did not correspond with

his genius,--took occasion to speak, at NOTICE OF MR HAZLITT'S LECTURES considerable length, of Mr WordsON ENGLISH POETRY, NOW IN THE worth's Letter to Mr Gray. On ac

count of the nature and spirit of these REY INSTITUTION, LONDON.

remarks, it does not suit either our

purpose or our inclination to repeat No III.

them: we pass on to those which fol

lowed, on the different characteristics Lecture Seventh.-On Burns and the of the poetry of Burns and WordsOld Ballads.

worth. Mr H, said, there was no

one link of sympathy between them. Mr Hazlitt commenced this lec- Wordsworth's is the poetry of mere ture by entering into some explana- sentiment and pensive contemplation : tions respecting the opinion he had that of Burns is a highly sublimated given of Chatterton in the last lecture; essence of animal existence. With and, after referring at some length to Burns,

o self-love and social are the the controversy that had taken place same.' Wordsworth is himself alone,

COURSE OF DELIVERY AT THE SUR