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he replied'; “Yes indeed, I began to be weary with standing so long."
Being chaplain to Charles II. his majesty was accustomed facetiously to style him an unfair preacher; because he exhausted every subject, and left nothing to be said by others. He does indeed view his subject in a great variety of lights. There is always an abundance of thoughts, and thoughts, to the justness of which, taken separately, we in general feel little difficulty in assenting; but we are hurried from flower to flower too rapidly to have time to imbibe the honey to be derived from each ; the multitude of objects which are crowded upon us distracts the attention, and having surveyed the whole, we can settle upon none. I do not mean to say, there are not many admirable passages in Barrow. The above definition of wit is probably the most wonderful passage to be met with in any language. A certain portion of fancy, perhaps, it would be unjust to deny him ; but it is by no means the general characteristic of his writings; and he has not a particle of that higher degree of it, which we usually denominate imagination. Barrow was undoubtedly a man of a powerful understanding. In the mathematical sciences
he was only inferior to Newton; but his mind was too early preoccupied, not to say absorbed, by mathematical studies, for him afterwards to acquire that peculiar delicacy of tact, essential to the successful contemplation of moral phenomena.
I shall conclude these few remarks, by noticing a memorable observation of Dr. Barrow, which will serve to characterise at once the intellectual and the moral constitution of his mind. It is, that “A strait line is the shortest in morals, as well as in geometry."
Joun BUNYAN, the well-known author of the Pilgrim's Progress, was born at Elstow, within a mile of Bedford, 1628. His origin was very humble, his father being a tinker; in which occupation himself was also brought up. In his early years he seemed to manifest an inherent depravity, and was particularly addicted to cursing and swearing. But being reclaimed (as he says himself) by a voice from heaven, he began to read the Scriptures with great zeal, and soon became as remarkable for enthusiastic piety as he had been before for vulgar profaneness. In the year 1671, he became pastor of a Calvinistic congregation at Bedford. He died at the age of sixty, in 1688.
The most complete edition of Bunyan's works is that of Mr. George Whitefield, in two volumes folio, 1767 ; and the most consi. derable pieces in this collection are:
1. Grace abounding to the chief of Sinners, in a faithful account of the Life of John Bunyan.
2. The Doctrine of the Law and Grace unfolded, or a Discourse touching the Law and Grace.
3. The Pilgrim's Progress, in two parts. 4. The Jerusalem Sinner saved.
5. The Heavenly Footman; or a Description of the Man that gets to Heaven. Together with the Way he runs in, the Marks he goes by. Also some directions how to run so as to obtain.
6. Solomon's Temple spiritualized.
7. A Discourse upon the Pharisee and Publican.
8. The Life and Death of Mr. Badman. lt is in the form of dialogue; and contains the different stages of a wicked man's life, and an account of his miserable death.
9. The Barren Fig-tree; or, the Doom and Downfall of the fruitless Professor.
10. One Thing is Needful; or, Serious Me
ditations upon the four last things, Death; Judgment, Heaven, and Hell.
!0. The Holy War, made by Shaddai upon Diabolus, for regaining the Metropolis of the World; or the losing and taking again of the Town of Mansoul.
12. A Discourse of the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
13. Christian Behaviour, being the Fruits of true Christianity,
14. A Discourse touching Prayer.
15. The Strait Gate; or great Difficulty of going to Heaven.
16. The Holy City, or New Jerusalem. 17. Divine Einblerns.
In the Heavenly Footman, (article the fifth) is the following curious passage :
They that will have heaven, they must run for it; because the devil, the law, sin, death, and hell, followeth them. There is never a poor soul that is gone ing to heaven, but the devil, the law, sin, death, and hell, make after that soulThe devil your adversary, as a roaring lion, goeth about, secking whom he inay devour. And I will assure you the devil is nimble; he can run apace; he is light of foot; he hath overtaken many; he hath turned up their heels,