SIR, POETRY. Feb. 21, 1815. THE Essay on Time, though without the recommendation of novelty, you may judge worthy of a place in your poetical department, for its merit, and as it has been seldom printed. I first read it in a Collection by Lewis, published about 1719, The author is, I believe, unknown. For him fierce lightnings cleave the sultry air, For him the total band of meteors war; count. Yet while his stern vicissitudes advance O'er ev'ry orb, thro' all the vast expanse, While scenes succeed to scenes, and forins to forms, And other thunders roll, and other storms, Sedate he triumphs o'er the general frame, And, changing all things, is himself the sage. Fain would the learn'd th' ideal power define, And on the mighty measurer cast their line. With emulous ardor on the task they wait, Contrive their circles, and their æras state; From these compute, by those the tale devise, And vaunt to match our annals with the skies: Yet ever devious, miss the promis'd end, Tho' METO plan, and tho' CALIPPUS mend; The ancient periods be reform'd by new, And GREGORY polish, what HIPPARCHUS drew. Schemes rais'd on schemes, see endless error start, And reg'lar nature mocks the boast of art; In what regard the works of mortals stand To this great fabric of the Almighty's hand, Is his to view; and sure to him alone His world, and all its relatives, are known ; And acts and things distant before him lie, And time itself retires not from his eye. But whence, oh muse, celestial voice! rehearse, That speak'st the theme, and aid'st the sacred verse, Whence this progressive now, untanght to stay, This glimmering shadow of eternal day? When first th' Almighty from the womb of night, Bade infant-nature hear, and spring to light, Her place he sever'd from the boundless waste, And, from eternity, her time to last ; Twas then it issn'd on the new-form'd stage, With her co-eval, and itself her age; Ordain'd o'er ether, air and earth to range, The scope of ev'ry life, and ev'ry change. Its progress note; th' illustrious globes above, Shine in its shade, and in its shadow move; With stated pace around their orbits play, And waste th' impatient moments on their way; While to a new eternity consign'd, From main to maiu th' impetuous waters pass; Yet rush but to return from whence they came, The mighty ocean's diff'rent, and the same. See time launch'd forth in solemn pomp proceed, And man on man advance, and deed on deed! 252 No pause, no rest, in all the world appears, Ev'n live-long patriarchs waste their thousand years. If Babel's tower no more with heaven contends, In spiry heights a Nineveh ascends: See other kings hold other crowds in chains! And Nimrod but the first of monarchs reigns. These suns behold a Cyrus lord of all; These view young Ammon triumph o'er the ball: Now haughty Rome in martial rigor frowns, And bears down powerful states, and treads on crowns; Bids mighty cities in a flame expire, And, like the gods that sway them, empires fall. Some period void of science and of fame, Scarce e'er exist, or leave behind a name; Mere sluggish rounds to let succession climb; Obscure and idle expletives of time. Lo, earth smiles wide, and radiant heaven looks down, All fair, all gay, and urgent to be known! Attend, and here are sown delights immense, Poetry. For ev'ry intellect and ev'ry sense, With reason stor'd, by love of knowledge fir'd, By dread awaken'd, and by hope inspir'd, Can we, the product of another's hand, Nor whence, nor how, nor why we are, demand? And, not at all, or not aright, employ'd, ous heart Inquires his purpose, and discerns his part; Weighs how they steal away, how sure, And, as he weighs them, apprehends the last: Or vacant, or engag'd, our minutes fly; We may be negligent, but we must die. Look before you leap. Vis, consilii expers mole ruit sua.-HOR. Would they persuade thee, dear John Bull ! To quarrel with her neighbours. Vienna and Elba-or a New Royal Fools indeed drop the man in their account, Castlereagh of a dukedom dreams, Monarchs and ladies dance; And, lo! he lands in France. Ye who have heard the tale, Determine, if ye please; To guess ye cannot fail, BREVIS. OBITUARY. On the 2d of April, died at his house in Leigh Street, Brunswick Square, WILLIAM JOSEPH PORTER, Esq. in the 52nd year of his age. This gentleman was son of the Rev. Thomas Porter, a respectable dissenting minister, who at different periods, was pastor of considerable congregations at Bury Street, St. Mary Axe, and Queen Street, Ratcliff-highway, London; also at Hinckley and Northampton. He was author of an exellent tract entitled, "Serious thoughts on the Birth of a Child." Mr. Porter's mother was daughter of Commodore Boys, who died while he was lieutenant-governor of Greenwich Hospital, of whose dreadful calamity, occasioned by the loss of the Luxborough Galley, in 1727, by fire, there is a most interesting but terrific narrative in the 5th vol. of Stockdale's edition of Campbell's Lives of the Admirals. A separate account of this distressing calamity was also published by the Commodore's son, in the year 1786, in 4to. The subject of this memoir embarked when he was 14 or 15 years of age, under the patronage of his uncle, the late Sir Henry Hervey, in the navy, and saw much service in the West Indies at the period when the French and English fleets, under Count de Grasse and Admiral Lord Rodney were opposed to each other. At the end of the American war, he was placed in his Majesty's Victualling Office, in which he continued at Portsmouth and Deptford till 1809, when he retired on a pension granted to him for twenty-five years' active service; his superiors bearing the most honourable testimony to the talent, the zeal and integrity, with which he had ever discharged the duties attached to his public situation. Mr. Porter, though educated in the doctrines of Calvinism, had studied too closely the works, and the revealed word of his Maker, to remain long in that gloomy system. He had been taught that the Almighty was the benevolent father of a part of the human race only: the scriptures, he plainly saw, considered him as the God and Father delighting in the happiness of all mankind. He had been taught in early life to believe in a trinity of persons in the Godhead; advancing years led him to a rational conviction of the supremacy and unity of the Creator, to whom alone religious homage and adoration were to be paid, Having abandoned the errors of early life, and the prejudices imbibed by education, he was not backward in avowing a faith more consistent with right reason, and more worthy of the character and attributes of the God and father of the universe. He was accordingly among the earliest members of "The Unitarian Society," which was established in London, in the year 1791. At this period he was known to, and highly respected by the venerable Lind sey, and in his friendship, he enjoyed a large share till the death of the latter in 1808. In the year 1805, Mr. Porter printed a new edition of his father's work, "Serious Thoughts on the Birth of a Child," with such alterations as he believed would render it useful, but of which alterations he gave proper notice in an advertisement prefixed to this impression. Mr. Porter, for more than twenty years, endured almost constant ill health, frequently attended with excruciating and long-continued sufferings, but in the midst of all his afflic tions, he was patient and resigned to the will of heaven; the principles of religion were the solace of his mind, at times, when with less fortitude, and a less steady dependence on the goodness of God, he might, overwhelmed by pain, have sunk in despondence. And within a few hours of his death, he expressed in the most grateful terms, the high satisfaction which he then derived from that system of doctrines to which he had uniformly and steadily adhered, through so long a course of years: the words of the Psalmist might be justly applied to him, "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.' widow, pitied on account of her heavy loss, and highly respected by all their common friends; and three sons, whose attentions to their father while living, and affectionate and pious sorrow at his death, prove that they sufficiently estimated and valued his virtues to copy them into their own He has left a 254 Intelligence. Mr. Wright's Missionary Tour. characters. In speaking of Mr. Porter, one of his oldest friends says, "than whom few persons have been more esteemed and respected while living by those who knew his worth, and in his death few more sincerely regretted and lamented by his friends. His private worth and his consistent conduct did honour to the principles he professed. He possessed an upright, well-informed and enlightened mind, and a truly kind, friendly and benevolent heart. His nature was gentle, generous and disinterested, and his temper frank, open, liberal and candid. With all the artless simplicity, the guileless rectitude, and the honest manly integrity, which are essential to that character, it may be truly said, that he was an Israelite indeed!'" J. J. On Monday last, (April 10th,) at Liverpool, JOSEPH BRANDRETH, M.D. in the 70th year of his age, after a long and painful illness which he bore with his characteristic fortitude and the most patient resignation to the will of his Creator. He commenced his career with no other advantages than his own industry and taleuts, and his perseverance was rewarded by unexampled success in his profession. The lines of deep thought and of anxious care for the welfare of his patients were strongly contrasted in his countenance with the smile of kindness and benevolence-His affections were warm and his friendships lasting; his conversation was animated and brought comfort and cheerfulness to the bed of sickness. His mind was ardent in the pursuit of knowledge, and notwithstanding the avocations of a most laborious life, his reading was universal, and few discoveries in science escaped his inquiry. He possessed a most accurate and tenacious inemory, which he ascribed to the habit of depending upon it without reference to any notes. His medical course was principally distinguished by the utility of applying cold in fever. M. Chron. April 14. INTELLIGENCE. Mr. Wright's Missionary Tour, &c. [Continued from p. 123.] The second and principal part of this journey was in Scotland, and occupied one hundred and ten days, during which I travelled nearly nine hundred miles, and preached ninety-two times. I shall divide the parts of North Britain I visited into districts. 1. The most Southern district including Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire. This was entirely new ground, not having been previously visited by any Unitarian Missionary, nor had those to whom I preached ever before heard the doctrine publicly preached, those who were Unitarians had become such by reading and conversation. I visited this district twice, and preached at the following places.* 1. Jedburgh. I preached in a Hall, and was well attended. After the service I had a considerable party together for conversation, and much debate ensued. I was opposed, very strongly by several persons, in particular by a Burgher student, who pronounced the doctrine I maintained damnable, and charged me with I do not mention places in the order in which I visited them, but according to their geographical situation. poisoning a considerable part of the country with it; after considerable debate he became more moderate, and we parted good friends. 2. Melrose. There are several Unitarians in this town. I preached in a barn, bad a very attentive congregation. The friends at Melrose attended on my preaching at 3. Darnick, a hamlet of Melrose and about a mile from that town. Here I preached five times, in a carpenter's shop, which was well filled with attentive hearers. In this village there are several wellinformed and respectable Unitarians, respectable for intelligence and moral worth. The last day I preached, an old man, his sons, daughter and son-in-law, came nine or ten miles, over the moors, to hear me ; I was much pleased with their conversation. 4. Galashiels. There are some Unitarians in this place, and others disposed to examine the doctrine. I preached twice. The first time on a Sunday evening in an assembly room, which was completely crowded, and many went away who could not get in. When I visited Galashiels again the assembly room was occupied by the comedians, I got another room, and though it was on a week night, and a meeting about matters of trade was held at the same time, we had a good congregation. This is a district in which much may be done. The friends have begun a library, and if a few books could be sent them from London, especially a set of the Unitarian Tracts, it would greatly encourage them and do much good. II. District, the northern capital and other places south of the Forth. Though in this district Unitarians are not so numerous as in some other parts of the North, its situation and relation to other parts of the country entitle it to every attention. 1. Edinburgh. I visited this city twice and spent twenty days in it. Preached nine times. The congregations were always respectable, sometimes pretty large. Had much pleasing intercourse with the friends. Was gratified in observing the progress the cause has made during the last three years. The Society is certainly in a much better state than it was when I visited Scotland before. Mr. Smith's labours appear to have done much good. Unitarianism is viewed with more respect, and the prejudices against it are gradually giving way. No place in Scotlaud can be of more importance to the Unitarian cause than Edinburgh. It prosperity there must, in some degree, affect its progress in many other places. In this light the subject is viewed by our friends in that ancient metropolis. Mr. Smith's Lord's-day evening lectures on doctrinal subjects, which are usually advertised, are well attended. 2. Leith. Here I preached twice to attentive audiences. Mr. Smith is anxious to preach occasional lectures at Leith, and it is hoped his friends will provide him a room for the purpose. 3. Falkirk. I visited this town three times; preached five discourses there, the last three of which, delivered in the assembly-room, were well attended. My friends at Falkirk wished me to preach a sermon with a view to a collection among them for the charity-school in that town; of this they gave public notice; but some persons sent the drummer through the town on the Saturday to inform the inhabitants that the managers of the school could not in honour or conscience accept of any money collected on the occasion and sent an advertisement to the same purpose to the Edinburgh Star, which was inserted in the form of a paragraph, to which Mr. Smith, of Edinburgh replied in the next number of the I preached in the amine the doctrine. open air to about five hundred people, who were very attentive. Mr. G. Harris had once preached here in a room, otherwise the ground was new. It is thought could there be frequent preaching at Dunfermline, an Unitarian congregation might soon be formed. 2. Tuleycultrie. A manufacturing village, at the foot of the Anchel-hills. I preached in the open air to a small assembly. Some persons from Alloa attended. 3. Dumblane. Here I knew no person, had no introduction, preached in the open air to about two hundred persons. I scattered the seed on new ground, about which I could get no previous information, where probably Unitarianism had not before been heard of, obtained a patient hearing, and left my work with my God. 4. Blackford. A village in Perthshire. In this place there are several Unitarians. I had preached here once before, and am, I believe, the only Unitarian minister that ever visited it. I found my old friends had made considerable progress since I visited them before; then they were Universalists, now they are confirmed Unitarians Had much conversation with them. Preached in the open air to a very attentive audience. 5. Crief. Preached in a public hall. In the midst of my discourse about onethird of my audience rose up and departed; the rest remained attentive. 6. Perth. Was disappointed of a place till it was too late to have a regular service. A few people came, to whom I deHvered an address, containing an outline of our religious sentiments. 7. Dundee. Here I preached eight times. Had always respectable, sometimes large congregations, who were all deeply attentive. A number of strangers came to hear, and several of them continued their attend ance so long as I stayed. Though this congregation has first and last met with so inany disasters and discouragements, it is still in a respectable and comfortable state. Has recently received some increase by new converts. 8. Forfur. Here I preached once; but never met a congregation so inattentive and disorderly. In the midst of the discourse about half my audience rose and went away, after saying aloud they would have no more of it. 9. Aberdeen. My success in this city amply compensated for previous disappointments, and afforded me the highest pleasure. I had previously received the names of several persons at Grandholm, where there are manufactories, a little below the city, who had become Unitarians by reading. I found them pious, intelligent, and warm-hearted in the cause, as I did some others who reside in Aberdeen. They had procured the Gardeners' Hall |