But leaving his journals, we must proceed to give as copious extracts as our limits will admit from his most interesting correspondence. The following letter will shew how much he combined the ardent lover of nature, with the devoted minister and the affectionate parent. Keswick, Oct. 16, 1815. My dear daughter-The exquisite beauty and sublimity of this country almost makes a pen move of itself. Never did I pass so beautiful a day as this at the Lakes. I shall sing the praises of October as the loveliest of months. This morning, at six o'clock, I was walking on the banks of Winandermere, to catch a sun-rise. I had every thing I could wish, and observed the progress of day with delight. The mysterious rolling of the clouds across the hills announced the first influence of the sun. Tints the most beauteous skirted the eastern clouds; those on the west, caught them as by sympathy. Various patches of mountains soon gleamed with the reflection of the yet unseen luminary; and such innumerable vicissitudes of light and shade, and clara obscuro filled the scene, as no tongue can utter. The Lake, in all its length of thirteen miles, lay beneath me, with its thirty islands. I heard the early lowing of the cows, the bleating of the sheep, the neighing of the horses, the twittering of the birds, the rustling of the breeze, the rippling of the water, the dashing of the oar, in a gentle kind of harmony. The sun advanced, and threw a blaze of magnificent lustre over this Paradisaical landscape. I soon crossed over the Lake, and passed through rich scenes of wonder and loveliness. I saw Coniston and Grasmere Lakes, under circumstances of peculiar advantage. Clusters of mountains and lesser hills, clothed with crags, brown fern, red lichens, green grass, purple heath, bushes, barren gulleys, cascades, wild streaks, rolling mists, bright sunshine, &c. &c., presented incessant variety. Hill towered above hill,-Alpine peaks reared their heads,-groves filled the valleys, and cottages were sprinkled in wild profusion. I dined at a little romantic inn, at the foot of the mountain Helvellyn. The Lake of Leatheswater extended its four miles' length close by. My parlour window faced the great hill-a mountain stream fell from a great height, tumbling with a murmuring sound down into the vale. Something dimmed the pane of glass through which I viewed it. On inspection, I found the following lines, written with a diamond : ، Flow mountain streamlet, swiftly flow. Sweet emblem of that gracious love On another pane was written Forget not, mortal traveller, thou must die, And once more ، These lovely scenes before thine eyes Form a terrestrial paradise. But this shall quickly pass away: Then seek one in eternal day.' Thence I advanced to Keswick. Before me stood the giants of the scenerySkiddaw and Saddleback-in sublime beauty, not to be expressed. Their length, their breadth, their height, their wildness, their roughness, their smoothness, their surface, their profile, their tout ensemble, most grand, most interesting. At length the Lakes of Derwentwater and Brassenthwaites burst upon the eye with all the charms that painters and poets love, and which Christians know how to love far better than either. The scene from a hill, a mile on the road from Keswick, so much exceeds the powers of my pen to describe, that I can only say, "How amiable are thy tabernacles," O Lord, the Creator I watched the moon decline on the Lake, and then studied the whole scene by the finest starlight I ever beheld. Mars is now in the east, like Jupiter; yea, bright as a moon. The Great Bear hangs pendant exactly over Skiddaw, and Mars rises triumphantly over the summit of Saddleback; the Galaxy sweeps over the hemisphere, white as milk, and clear as moonlight. All is solemn, silent, peaceful. I write you this faint breathing of expression. Could you copy these scenes, I should be proud of your company here: I trust some day you will. This morning, as I stood on an eminence, looking down on the exquisitelylovely Lake of Grasmere, environed by its amphitheatre of mountains, a momentary shower produced a rainbow;-it extended from hill to hill, over the valley, and seemed like a bridge for angels to pass over from one district of Paradise to another : My dear "And as they pass, let angels sing The wonders of creation's King; And while they tune their harps to praise, Unite with their's my feeble tongue, And give to gratitude my song." I leave you, in much love, a few fatherly hints. 1. Be constant in private prayer. 2. Be wise in the choice of books; shun every thing of the romance and novel kind; and even in poetry, keep to what is useful and instructive, as well as pleasant. 3. In company, shew that the principles of your father's house and ministry are your rule of conduct, and your real delight. Be consistent-cheerful, but not light; conversible, but not trifling. 4. Keep ever in view, that you are supporting my character and credit, as well as your own. 5. Shew a marked preference to such conversation, remarks, persons, discussions, and occupations as may tend to essential good. 6. Always think before you speak; say and do neither hastily or unadvisedly. 7. If any proposal is ever made to you, in which you hesitate how to act, first say to yourself-how would God have me to act? Secondly-what would my parents have me to do, if they were here to advise me? 8. Never lose sight of this: that the more public my name, character, and ministry is become, the more eyes and ears are turned to my children's conduct; they are expected, in knowledge and circumspection, in religion and morals, in opinions and habits, to shew where they have been educated; and to adorn, not only their Christian profession, but their parents' principles. 9. In music, prefer serious to light compositions; and in vocal, keep close to sacred words. 10. Pray much for your affectionate father, pp. 291-295. LEGH RICHMOND. In making selections from his letters, we must, however, on no account omit two of very considerable interest, addressed respectively to his wife and son. Nor will that interest be diminished from the circumstance of their being written on the little island of Iona. Had the celebrated Dr. Johnson visited this island in the same spirit as the Rector of Turvey, the "Tour to the Hebrides" would have exhibited a somewhat different aspect, and have proved not only a source of instruction and delight, but of real spiritual advantage and edification. Mr. Grimshawe thus briefly introduces these letters to our notice : It will excite no surprise, that a man of Mr. Richmond's piety and taste should avail himself of this opportunity to visit the once celebrated island of Iona, one of the Hebrides. Iona now contains only one village, with mean houses, and about 400 inhabitants. It is the most noted place of Caledonian antiquity. It was formerly the seat of the Druids, some of whose sepulchral remains are still extant. Christianity was introduced into this island by St. Columba, after whom it was called I-colum-kill, or Columba's Cell. St. Columba came from Ireland to Iona in the sixth century, accompanied by twelve disciples, through whose missionary labours the greater part of Scotland was converted to the Christian faith. The college founded by St. Columba was the seat and centre of literature and piety; and from hence these blessings were diffused, not only over the British islands, but throughout a great part of Europe. The ruins of these ancient edifices still remain as memorials of the apostolical labours of Columba, his associates and successors. Iona is the burial place of forty-eight Scotch crowned heads, four Irish kings, eight Norwegian princes or viceroys of the island, and a multitude of nobility and religious orders. It had also 360 crosses, which were all destroyod, except one, at the Reformation. The ruin of the once splendid cathedral cannot fail to interest the traveller, and to excite the deepest emotion in the heart of the Christian. It was under the influence of recollections like these, that Dr. Johnson composed the following celebrated passage. "We were now treading that illustrious island which was once the luminary of the Caledonian regions; whence savage clans, and roving barbarians, derived the benefit of knowledge and the blessings of religion. To abstract the mind from all local emotion would be impossible if it were endeavoured, and would be foolish if it were possible. Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses; whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future predominate over the present, advances us in the dignity of thinking beings. Far from me, and from my friends, be such frigid philosophy, as may conduct us, indifferent and unmoved, over any ground which has been dignified by wisdom, bravery, and virtue. The man is little to be envied, whose patriotism would not gain force upon the plains of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the ruins of Iona." From Iona, he wrote to Mrs. Richmond: "I am persuaded that my dearest Mary will not only allow me to express the strong sensations of my own heart, as connected with the remote and magnificent scenes in which a kind Providence is at present placing me, but will sympathize and share them with me. Had I not sent off a letter two days since to Wilberforce, I would on this day have written to him, as it is his birth-day; which has been the subject of my early and earnest morning prayer, on a Sabbath spent in this extraordinary and interesting island. You are not altogether unaware of the peculiar feelings and wishes which, for many years, I have cherished in regard to these islands; and now the desire has been fully answered. You can form little idea of the characteristics of every thing and every body around me. The novelty, simplicity, singularity, the tout ensemble is indescribable. I have been obliged to wait a whole week for suitable weather, and almost despaired of success, but I regret it not now. God waits upon the waiters,' and we experience it. No one can visit these islands, without allotting from a week to a fortnight of disposable time for the purpose. You have seen my prints of Staffa; but you have not seen them large and solid as the original. The sublimity, beauty, magnificence, singularities, wildness and overwhelming influence of the whole, quite stop my pen, and my breath, when I attempt either to write or speak on the subject. I have made two separate visits to Staffa, and seen it within and without, with every possible advantage. My travelling friend, Mr. P., is of a truly congenial mind, and we have mutual pleasure in using the scenes of nature as means of grace. Iona is delightful in another way. Ilere, amid the ruins of ancient grandeur, piety, and literature, surrounded by the graves and mouldering gravestones of kings, chieftains, lords of the isles, bishops, priests, abbesses, nuns, and friars; the scene decorated with the fine and romantic remains of cathedral, colleges, nunnery, chapels and oratories, with views of islands, seas, rocks, mountains, interspersed with the humble huts of these poor islanders ;-I am just preparing to preach to as many of them as can understand English, in the open air. A rock my pulpit, and heaven_my sounding-board; may the echo resound to their hearts. In the evening, I expect to preach by a Gaelic interpreter, to the whole company of islanders, sentence after sentence being translated as I utter them. I trust I am following up the spiritual example and wishes of my friend C., and that some good will result from this visit. This will more than repay the delay occasioned in my journey, by this most interesting excursion to the Hebrides. It will somewhat lengthen my journey and time; but I feel a persuasion that my own soul and those of others are to profit by it. Join your prayers to mine, that it may be so. "Since writing the above, I have given three services, under circumstances most interesting and novel, to these poor islanders of Icolumbkill. The last by a Gaelic interpreter, who translated every sentence, after I had delivered it in English. I passed near two hours alone, amid the ruins and graves of the cathedral. It was a most solemn and peaceful meditation; and here, you may tell Willy, I knelt down upon the graves of ancient monarchs, mouldering in the dust, and prayed God to "remember him for good;" to make him a holy and happy being, both in time and eternity. I asked of the Lord, that my child might share in the Christian privileges, character, and literature of the once renowned Christian divines of Iona, the missionaries and theologians of a primitive period, on whose ashes I was treading; I prayed that if (and only if) his heart were rightly directed, God would make him a minister of Christ's church on earth; but that he might never enter on the sacred office, if likely to be a careless, carnal, unconverted servant of the sanctuary. My heart was full of holy freedom, as I offered up a father's petition on the birth-day of my child." "My dear Boy, "It is high time that you and I should communicate frequently, intimately, and confidentially. If this is not to be expected by the time you have arrived at fifteen, when is it to be looked for? On one account, I have more solicitude, and even dread, on your behalf, than for any of my children. Earnestly as I should wish a son of mine to be a minister, yet I tremble at the idea of educating and devoting a son to the sacred profession, without a previous satisfactory evidence that his own soul was right with God. Without this, you and I should be guilty of a most awful sin in his sight. To any, and every other good profession, trade, or occupation, it may be lawful and expedient to fix some degree of determination, long before the entering on it; but the ministry is an exception. Even St. Paul himself trembles, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.' I consider personal religion, accompanied and evidenced by personal conduct, to be indispensable in the individual, before either he, or another for him, fixes on the ministry for his profession. And I will not hesitate to say to you, that, honoured and happy as I should feel in being permitted to see you a faithful preacher of righteousness, adorning the Gospel which you would proclaim to others;-yet without this, I would rather a thousand times see you a mason, or in the humblest capacity in life. I know what the office is; and a penitent sense of my own deficiencies, teaches me to be fearful, and to tremble for those of others: how much more so in the case of a child? "The national church groans and bleeds, from the crown of its head to the sole of its feet,' through the daily intrusion of unworthy men into its ministry. Patrons, parents, tutors, colleges, are annually pouring a torrent of incompetent youths into the church, and loading the nation with spiritual guilt. Hence, souls are neglected and ruined-bigotry and ignorance prevail-church pride triumphs over church godliness-and the Establishment is despised, deserted, and wounded. Shall you and I deepen these wounds?-shall we add one more unit to the numbers of the unworthy and traitorous watchmen on the towers of our British Jerusalem? God forbid! But, to avoid so sad a departure from every principle of sacred order and conscience, you must become a humble, seriously-minded, consistent young disciple of Christ: a diligent student, an obedient son, a loving brother, a grateful worshipper, a simplehearted Christian. And I must feel comfortably satisfied that you are so; or with what conscience, with what hope, with what satisfaction, with what peace of mind, can I consent to devote you to the most sacred, the most important, the most responsible of all offices within the compass of human existence? "Now, I will not, and ought not to conceal from you, that, however accustomed we may all have been to talk of you as a future clergyman, I dare not decide upon any such plan without a much more clear evidence than I have yet seen, that your actual state of feelings and conduct, temper and conversation, habitual and permanent thoughts, are such as will justify me in coming to so solemn a determination on my own part. 66 I say this with anxiety, and write it with fear, as my pen proceeds: but I say it with earnest prayers for the real conversion of your soul to God, and with some hope that He will hear the petitions which I have offered up for you, through many a long year. I still repeat it, that I never can consent to put my seal to the question of the ministry, unless, and until I have some satisfactory proof of your heart being turned to God, in holy consistency and permanence of character. "Let these pages be a testimony before God-and keep them as a sign between you and me that I am in earnest, as to a subject where indifference would be sin. 6 "I have long been studying your character in the hourly events of each day, in immediate reference to this point. Remember, they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts:' crucify your's. Pursue your studies with diligence: you may do great things for yourself, even without help-although I grant, much better with it. But 'work while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work.' pp. 469-477. "Believe me your affect onate father, "L. R." He may indeed well be pitied who can read the account of Mr. R.'s visit to Iona without very deep emotion. We wonder not that his departure should be so sincerely lamented by the people. Nor is it possible to help loving the man who by his conduct and spirit could produce such an effect upon the Scotch sailors who had rowed him to Fingal's cave, as to call |