These gracious lines shed Gospel light Till tower, and dome, and bridge-way proud, And to wise hearts this certain hope is given, 'No mist that man may raise, shall hide the eye of Heaven.' And oh! if even on Babel shine Should not their peace be peace divine To look on clearer Heavens, and scan The works of God, untouch'd by man? Shame on us, who about us Babel bear, And live in Paradise, as if God was not there!"-P. 320. Now and then we meet with a stanza, which might have been written by old Quarles, as the following: "Raise thy repining eyes, and take true measure Of thine eternal treasure; The Father of thy Lord can grudge thee nought, And as this landscape broad-earth, sea, and sky, So all God does, if rightly understood, Shall work thy final good." Those who are acquainted with Herbert's poems will also discover in the lines on Baptism a close imitation of his style: "Where is it mothers learn their love? In every church a fountain springs, Hovers on softest wings. What sparkles in that lucid flood Is water, by gross mortals cy'd; But seen by Faith, 'tis blood Out of a dear friend's side. A few calm words of faith and prayer, Shall work a wonder there Earth's charmers never knew," &c.-P. 341. Our readers will not form a very correct idea of the merits of the poetry from the few specimens we have given. The book, in fact, abounds with beauties, but also with defects. It is often careless in style and obscure in expression, but never feeble, never tame, and in every part disarming criticism by a tone of sincerity and deep devotion, which must recommend it wherever it is read in a right spirit. MEMOIR OF M. DUMONT. [Translated from the Journal of Geneva.] PIERRE-ETIENNE-LOUIS DUMONT was born at Geneva in July, 1759. Soon after his birth, his father died. His mother was left in humble circumstances, with five young children, but she bore her lot with great firmness. Discerning the early promise of her son Stephen, she placed him at the Grammar-school; and he soon shewed so much capacity and eagerness for learning, that while he was a mere school-boy he contributed towards the maintenance of his brothers and sisters by giving lessons. Having completed his classical studies, he entered the theological class in the academy at Geneva, with the intention of becoming a minister. He was admitted to preach at the age of twenty-two; and commanded, thus early, the admiration of his hearers. So great was the force of his persuasive eloquence, that he attracted crowds from all quarters. But the disturbances which broke out in Geneva, in the year 1782, contributed to give a new direction to a life which was begun in peaceful uniformity. M. Dumont, who was a warm partisan of liberty, and earnestly desired the introduction of liberal institutions into the government of his country, united himself with the leaders of the representative party, and loudly pronounced his opinions against the negative party. Their opposition was vain, and the enemies of freedom triumphed-its friends were dispersed, and, among others, M. Dumont, afflicted at the turn which affairs had taken, and at the principles which prevailed, repaired to St. Petersburgh, where he rejoined his mother and sisters. Immediately after his arrival, he was appointed pastor of the Reformed Church in that capital, and the talents which he displayed in this eminent situation, greatly advanced the reputation he had already acquired at Geneva. After remaining a year and half in Russia, M. Dumont was induced, by personal considerations, and by the persuasion of the late Marquis of Lansdown, to remove to London, and to undertake the education of his Lordship's sons. His abode in England was most happy. Lord Lansdown was aware of his transcendant merit, and reposed entire confidence in him. He made him his friend, and though he charged him with the direction of his sons' education, he gave him the assistance of a tutor under him. At the end of the year 1789, the circumstances of his native country being changed for the better, M. Dumont indulged his desire of seeing it again. He made some stay at Paris, where he was present at the first scenes of the great political drama which then opened. He was too much of an enthusiast for liberty to witness with indifference the struggles of the French nation. At that moment there was no reason to fear the excesses which afterwards obscured the noblest of causes. M. Dumont did not hesitate to unite himself with the most influential men of the time; he became the friend and fellow-labourer of Mirabeau, who eagerly employed him in writing for the Courier de Provence, and introduced him to the most distinguished members of the National Assembly. One of the articles written by M. Dumont, for this journal, is a very remarkable one, on the Municipal and Departmental Organization of France, in which were started almost all the grand ideas which have since been developed in the French Senate upon this important subject. Many of Mirabeau's happiest inspirations were caught from his Genevese friend, who was an assiduous attendant upon the sittings of the Assembly, and who was in reality the reporter and preserver of the finest speeches of this great orator: he wrote them down hastily, and afterwards revised them with the speaker himself, before their publication. It was during this period of his life that M. Dumont acquired his profound knowledge upon the highest questions relating to politics and legislation; his mind never lost sight of them after; and on his return to England, where he was bound in the strictest friendship with Sir Samuel Romilly, and lived on intimate terms with the families of Lord Lansdown, Lord Holland, &c., every where sought and cherished, he well employed the free and independent state which he enjoyed, by giving up himself completely to that new kind of labour and of study which in due time procured him so high a reputation, and gave him so eminent a place among the influential writers of his age. From the manuscripts of Jeremy Bentham he drew out, with the approbation of that learned jurisconsult, a series of works distinguished by a method and clearness entirely his own; and which cannot be too often read and thought upon, by all men who study the science of law, or of social philosophy. So great was the celebrity which M. Dumont acquired by his first publications, that, on occasion of his revisiting St. Petersburgh, at the commencement of Alexander's reign, the most brilliant offers were made him, in order to tempt him to co-operate in revising the laws of Russia, and reducing them to a perfect code. Notwithstanding the prospect of honour and of gain thus opened to his view, he declined the undertaking, from the fear of being obliged to sacrifice his own opinions to the necessities of the country and of the period; a trait of character which will ever be remembered to his honour. The fall of the French empire restored Geneva to independence. This unexpected happiness, so warmly welcomed by its natives, was no sooner known to M. Dumont, than he hastened to return to a country which he had constantly remembered with affection. He justly apprehended that his services might be useful in the political and civil re-organization about to take place. A seat was allotted him in the Sovereign Council; being called to fill it in the year 1814, he realized all the expectations that had been built upon his talents as an orator, his experience in parliamentary debates, and his knowledge of legislation. The Constitution, such as it had been promulgated, laid the basis of the structure; but it was a labour of delicacy and of difficulty to get it to work properly and rationally, in the midst of the notions then afloat. M. Dumont proposed and drew up the form of regu lating the Assembly, which was afterwards adopted by a great majority, and which the experience of fifteen years has stamped as a model of wisdom and of reason. It is not at Geneva alone that this plan of regulation has The city and republic of Geneva is governed by a Representative Council, four Syndics, and a Council of State. The latter body consists of twenty-eight members, who, with the Syndics, form part of the Council of Representatives. In these is vested the Executive power. They are not elected like the rest of the 278 of which the Assembly is composed, but are subject to the scrutiny or objection of the Representative Council. If these demand it, every member (after the Syndics or Magistrates for the year are elected) is balloted for, and should there be 126 votes against him, he is rejected from the Council of State, and becomes a simple Representative. Every housekeeper in Geneva has the right of voting for Representatives, provided he is a native of the Canton, and pays a direct contribution to the State of twentyfive florins (each about 4d. English). Every elector names thirty eligible persons; been appreciated; it is well known that M. De Serre, Keeper of the Seals of France, who was acquainted with it, greatly desired the introduction of something similar in the Chamber of Deputies. M. Dumont found, in the performance of his legislative duties, the vigour of his youth renewed, yet ripened by reflection and the study of the human heart. He was found, on all important discussions, the eloquent defender of constitutional principles, the courageous adversary of abuse and arbitrary power, without ever exceeding the bounds of propriety and moderation. In him was seen the friend of truth, the man of learning full of modesty, the enlightened citizen. He was heard with the strictest attention, not only from the extraordinary charm of his diction, but on account of the perfect uprightness and loyalty of his character. He was the first person who directed the attention of the Genevan Government to the subject of mutual instruction as a means of diffusing knowledge; and pleaded the experience of England as to the benefits of general and early tuition. From him originated the proposition for building in his native place the Penitentiary Prison which has been so happily accomplished, and that also for a Lunatic Hospital, now under consideration. From him, too, came the first proposal for changing the organization of the different bodies entrusted with the direction of public instruction: he laid great stress upon this capital subject, and intended forthwith to renew his proposition, strengthened by forcible arguments. Lastly, he laboured with indefatigable constancy at the completion of the new penal code, and he had just put the finishing stroke to the scheme of this code, which is about to be presented to the Council of State, when he undertook the journey on which his useful life was to terminate. M. Dumont did not confine his labours to the objects of his habitual partiality; every thing which he thought tended to the public good, all that he believed to be useful to humanity, found in his philanthropic mind a firm support. He employed not only speech, but action, and shewed himself entirely superior to interested or selfish motives. We ought not to omit that he was one of the founders of the Public Reading Society, that he co-operated powerfully to sustain the Greek cause in Switzerland, and that he was an active member of the committee for the erection of a statue to the memory of Rousseau. If we enter upon the enumeration of the private virtues of M. Dumont, we shall find it difficult to restrain ourselves. With the amiable exterior of engaging and simple manners, marked by mildness and benevolence, he possessed a heart which was the seat of every noble and generous sentiment. His was that happy spirit of conciliation which knew how to produce harmony between opposing opinions, to moderate irascible natures, and prevent disagreements. He loved to encourage young and rising talent, to aid it with his experience and his counsels. He lived happily, and on terms of intimacy and confidence, in the midst of his numerous family. M. Dumont was never married, but he enjoyed the affectionate regard of no less than fifty-three children and grandchildren, the progeny of his three sisters, by all of whom he was considered as a father. He has nevertheless made some valuable bequests to public institutions out of his comparatively humble this being the number of Deputies who are annually changed. The names are inscribed on tickets, and deposited in an urn, and the thirty who have the most votes are chosen. The Representative Council is a deliberative body, and makes regulations for itself. property. His manuscripts are left to M. Frederic Soret and M. Jacob Duval, two of his grand-nephews. His death took place at Milan in September last, after a short and by no means painful illness: from that city his body, after being embalmed, was conveyed to Geneva, and was followed to the grave by a long train of sorrowing friends and fellow-citizens. The works of M. Dumont, rendered from Bentham, are, 1. Traités de Législation, Civile et Pénale. 3 vols. 1802. 2. Théorie des P'eines et des Récompenses. 2 vols. 1810. 3. Tactique des Assemblées Législatives, suivies des Sophismes Polttiques. 2 vols. 1818. 4. Traité des Preuves Judiciares. 2 vols. 5. Traité de l'Organization Judiciare, et de la Codification. 1 vol. And he also left behind a work of his own, called Observations upon the Penitentiary Prison. INDIA'S CRIES TO BRITISH HUMANITY.* UNDER this title are included various tracts on the subject of the most offensive and inhuman practices connected with Idolatry in India. That such practices exist is known to every educated person in this country; but that they do still exist is an evidence that their nature and extent are not properly understood; and those, therefore, who, like Mr. Peggs, furnish us with a faithful representation of facts on which to ground our efforts for the amelioration of the state of the Hindoos, deserve the thanks, not of India alone, but of every friend of humanity in the country which governs India. The details which are presented in the volume before us are full of a heartsickening interest; and if it be indeed true that an enormous sacrifice of human life is encouraged, and a fearful amount of human misery augmented by supineness or mistake on the part of the British government in India, it is high time that every one should bestir himself to find a remedy for evils of such magnitude, and to do his part to remove a reproach, as odious as it is deserved, from the reputation of his country. We have all heard from our childhood of the practice of the Suttee in India: in our writings it serves as the commonest illustration of the evils of superstition; it is a theme of declamation at our public meetings; our tract societies make use of it to point out the blessings of a pure religion; it serves to excite a painful curiosity and an eager horror in the minds of children when the tale circulates round the winter's hearth; but this knowledge of the fact appears to have done little or no good. A few missionaries have urged and re-urged the expediency of abolishing the practice, and have declared their conviction of the ease with which the abolition might be effected. A few residents and travellers in India have described their horror on witnessing the sacrifice. Some discussions have taken place in the Court of Directors at home, and in the Executive Council abroad; and a very few petitions have been presented to Parliament from towns in England: but no effectual measures have yet been taken even to ascertain the practicability of abolishing rites which India's Cries to British Humanity. By J. Peggs, late Missionary at Cuttack, Orissa. |