unity and plurality of persons; the divine attributes and perfections inherent in Christ; and the design of his incarnation are briefly and well treated, so as to convey a great amount of solid information to the description of readers for whose benefit the work is intended. In treating of the divine nature and office of the Holy Spirit, Mr. Ross establishes His personality and divine nature, as the agent by whom the benefits of Christ's atonement are communicated to man. He then condenses into a few pages the Scripture proofs of the personality and offices of the Holy Spirit. This is a mystery which perhaps even the angels desire to look into; but although the doctrine of the Trinity be a mystery which our finite understanding cannot comprehend, yet it is most firmly to be believed as a fundamental article of religion. "This mystery, therefore," our author says, "though incomprehensible by our mental faculties, is still a subject of faith, and must be firmly believed and resolutely maintained We shall not therefore attempt to solve this divine mystery, but merely affirm it to be a necessary subject of the Christian belief and required for salvation. Secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children." "The design of the gospel," he adds, "has consequently been to communicate a true knowledge of man's moral condition, which it professes to relieve, by enabling us to repress the virulence of the disorder and to restrain it within bounds. For this purpose, doctrines and precepts have been plentifully revealed, communicating a knowledge of the divine Deliverer and of the sanctifying Spirit; and holy motives have been provided; and promises and encouragements have been made known; and spiritual grace and consolations have been offered; and a remedy for our moral defections has been intimated in the gospel, that man might lay hold of the hope set before him, and repent and believe divine revelation, and apply its wholesome remedies to his soul, and employ his time of probation, in destroying the works of the devil, and acquiring greater attainments in holiness and newness of life; and thus by the influence of the Holy Ghost, with fear and trembling' might work out his own salvation,' and be conformed, as far as may be, in character 6 and life to the God-man, his Deliverer, and be admitted hereafter into the kingdom of God." This is a useful book, and very suitable to be put into the hands of Scripture readers and teachers of the national schools, to instruct them in the first principles of theology; for no man, by the mere light of nature, or by the most exact acquaintance with the other sciences, could know that there is a God in the unity of whose Essence there are three Persons; or who could discover any idea whatever of the christian religion. Mr. Ross's book, however, will be a very good text-book for their instruction in these particulars, and we beg to recommend it to the attention of our readers. FAIR HELEN OF KIRKCONNEL LEE. BY STEWART LEWIS. THE following ballad was first published at Dumfries, about the commencement of the present century. At that time it excited a very general and lively interest among the inhabitants of Annandale; to whom the traditionary story, and the local scenery where the melancholy event took place, were well known. The present copy is taken from the fifth edition, which was published in the year 1818, in order to perpetuate the remembrance of this very interesting and tragical event. The scene lies in the vicinity of Spring Kell, but which previously had been called Kirkconnel, the seat of Sir John Heron Maxwell, Bart.; and the story on which the ballad is founded, is taken from the statistical account of the parish of Kirkpatrick-Fleeming, Dumfrieshire, from which it appears, that the fair Helen was a daughter of the "family of Kirkconnel," which formerly possessed the most extensive estates in the South of Scotland; but of which the Spring Kell property forms at present only a small portion. The fair Helen was courted by two young gentlemen, whose names were Fleeming and Bell; the former of whom was the heir of an estate in her neighbourhood, which was most probably the same that has since been called Mossknow; the latter was the proprietor of the lands of Blackwood House, which were also situate in the neighbourhood. Bell appears to have been of a gloomy and impetuous character; finding his addresses slighted, and observing Helen's partiality for Fleeming, he vowed to be revenged upon his rival when he should next discover him in her company. An opportunity unfortunately soon occurred for the execution of his purpose. One evening, whilst the lovers were taking their favourite walk on the romantic banks of the Kirtle, they were discovered by Bell from the opposite bank, who had concealed himself among the bushes to watch their motions. Helen was the first to perceive him. Suspecting his bloody purpose, she rushed to her lover's bosom to screen him from the danger. In consequence she received the fatal shot that was intended for her lover's heart. She instantly sank, and expired in Fleeming's arms, who immediately revenged her death by slaying her murderer; but, inconsolable for the loss of all that was dear to him on earth, he went abroad. The image of her he loved, however, accompanied him wherever he went; and finding that neither time nor absence could efface from his mind the remembrance of the melancholy scene of Helen's murder, he returned to his native country, stretched himself on the tomb of his beloved, and expired. He was buried by her side. Upon the tombstone in the burial-ground of Kirkconnel there are engraved a sword and cross, with Hic jacit, ADAM FLEEMING. Several circumstances led the author to consider that this tragical event happened in the latter end of Queen Mary's reign, or in the beginning of that of her son James VI. There was in the year 1818 an old ballad extant, extremely brief, which it is supposed was written by Adam Fleeming, which gives a lively description of his own agonized feelings. With that exception, and a few ful elegiac stanzas on the same subject by Dr. John n, the author has reason to believe that he has been st to turn the whole story into rhyme. 'Mongst all the maids in Annandale, Her cheeks were ruddy as the dye Her breath was like the scented breeze Her every gesture grace bespoke, Her neck surpassed the Sculptor's art, Like Parian marble fair; As ravens' pinions, glossy black, In ringlets flowed her hair. In vain did envy, fiend of hell, Essay a fault to find; For virtue, sense, and truth sincere, Illum'd the maiden's mind. The trump of Fame had spread her praise, And numbers flocked to see The beauteous, budding, blushing rose, Of fair Kirkconnel Lee. Each wealthy swain on Annan's banks, And Kirtle's verdant vale, Had tried to win fair Helen's heart, With many a love-sick tale. But all their efforts fruitless proved; For yet her bosom ne'er had throbbed Stern Bell, the chief of Blackwood House, Whose castle stood hard by, Had long beheld this lovely maid With wistful amorous eye. His lands were large, his wealth was great, His name for valour famed ; But yet his deeds betrayed a soul Where pride and fury flamed. This cruel tyranising chief, Was hated far and near; His actions oft, from Helen's eye Had forced the pitying tear. One day he found her in her bower, But cold contempt chilled all his hopes, Nor could his arts prevail. Nor was it strange that cold contempt For hearts so different ne'er possessed The haughty chief stalked off in rage, And muttering swore, ere morn With fiend-like care himself he hid Amidst a neighbouring grove, Where well he knew, each summer eve, Fair Helen used to rove. |