that repentance could find place in heaven, it might, we think, be an occasion of grief to many an enlightened and purified spirit there, to remember the errors of a too fervent zeal on earth; nor can we doubt, that they will rejoice to meet in that house of many mansions, and of a boundless charity, some whom ignorantly they had distrusted and traduced as the enemies of truth.

Before closing this imperfect notice, we must take leave to say a word upon a subject nearly connected with it, and pressing earnestly upon the attention of the friends of the University. We refer to the wants and prospects of our Theological School, and to the supply of stated religious instruction within the chapel of the University.

It is well known, or might be, since it has once and again been distinctly stated, that the funds of the Divinity foundation, as provided by Mr. Hollis, like most other of the older foundations of the College, are totally inadequate to the support of the Professor; never having yielded more than a fifth part of what for many years has been the smallest salary of that responsible office. The supply of the residue, seldom less, we believe, than twelve hundred dollars, with similar demands for the deficiency of other foundations, having drawn too largely upon the general funds of the College, the Corporation, upon the resignation of Dr. Ware, deemed it expedient to defer the appointment of a successor. There is now, therefore, no Professor of Divinity, or religious teacher, strictly so considered, within the College; and the whole burden of the religious instruction, both of the College and of the Theological School, including with all the peculiar and multifarious duties of the latter, the daily morning and evening prayers, the Sabbath services of the chapel, (with the aid for a quarter of the academic year of the Professor of Moral Philosophy,) and the lectures or recitations of the various classes of the former, rests wholly on those who by their office belong exclusively to the Divinity School. It is needless to enter into the details of these duties; but it must be obvious to the most superficial consideration, that the fulfilment of them, with even any tolerable degree of satisfaction to themselves or of benefit to the institution, must be far beyond the powers, physical or mental, of any two individuals, however gifted, however faithful or devoted. In the mean time, the students of the College greatly

need, and surely should receive, the benefits of more immediate, and, we should add, more personal religious influence, than it is within the limits of possibility for gentlemen thus tasked, thus distracted by various and complicate labors, to supply. Nor should it be overlooked, that the families of gentlemen officially connected with the College, and worshipping in its chapel, cannot but desire, and sometimes in their sorrows may greatly need, the care and sympathy of a pas

tor.

Here, now, are wants of the highest and most urgent nature, wants of the College and of the School, wants of the teachers with their families, and of the students, which ought to be supplied. That they are not, and cannot be supplied under the present arrangement, will not fail, we think, to be admitted. We are but uttering the convictions of the individuals most interested, when we say, that it is impossible, we might almost say physically impossible, for gentlemen, who have been all the week engaged in the recitation-rooms, teaching Theology in its diversified branches as a science, following the students of the college in their respective courses, and those of the theological school in theirs, to bring to the pulpit on the Sabbath either the intellectual preparation, which a collegiate church beyond most others requires, or the spiritual power, which comes with the preparation of the heart, and the souls of their hearers need. In few places can the Christian preacher address an audience, more interesting or more susceptible of the highest influences. Here are assembled young men, the hope of the land, at a period of life so decisive in its influences on every other, alive to all impressions, we should do them deep injustice in supposing them insensible to the best and is it not of peculiar moment, that interests, so vital to themselves and to the world, in which by the privileges of their education they are destined to sustain so important a part, should be most anxiously and amply provided for.

The subject, we are well aware, occupies the thoughts and solicitude of the government of the college. We earnestly wish to awaken for it the attention it deserves in the community. And especially will we entreat the favorable consideration of those, whose wealth and liberality, whose love of the college and readiness to advance its interests are equally known

to us.

Is it asked "what shall be done, and how shall these urgent wants be supplied?” We can only say, for we should deem it presumption to say more, it is for the authorities and the patrons of the college to consider. But if we may be permitted a suggestion, it would be, that provision be made for the appointment of a public preacher and pastor for the university, who should have the whole office of the religious worship and instruction; who should not only preach on Sundays to the members of the college, but should at other times and in various ways be devoted to their religious and moral culture, as their teacher and pastor; who would visit in the families of his congregation, and, as far as might be expedient or practicable, encourage personal intercourse with the students. Such an

one might come to them with an influence, unmixed with academic restraints or associations, and be the minister to successive generations of the sons of Harvard, of spiritual blessings, in comparison of which mere intellectual glory and the richest stores of human knowledge are of little worth.

F. P.

ART. VI.-Memoirs of the Life of the Rev. Lant Carpenter, LL. D., with Selections from his Correspondence. Edited by his Son, RUSSELL LANT CARPENTER, B. A. Bristol: Philp & Evans. London: Green, Newgate St. 1842. 8vo. pp. 516.

THOSE, who have long been familiar with the name and writings of the late Dr. Carpenter, will greet with pleasure these memoirs by the hand of his son. They will eagerly turn to the pages, that shall give them trustworthy memorials of one, for whose character they have conceived, from his works, the highest respect. No name, among modern English Unitarians, is heard with more respect, on this side the Atlantic, than that of Carpenter. They will not be disappointed on

reading the volume before us; no otherwise, at least, we are very certain, than by the new claims, by which they will be surprised, upon their veneration and love. Many among us have had the happiness in their travels abroad, to know personally one, whom they had before known through his writings, and by familiar intercourse, face to face, to become acquainted with traits of character, and qualities both of the mind and heart, which raised him still higher in their affections, but to which others, not enjoying the same opportunities, remained strangers. The biography of the son places us all on the same footing. They, who read the book, will feel as if they had seen and known the man. And if its readers express any regret on finishing the reccord, it will be, we will venture to predict, that more complete and minute details of some parts of his father's life were not given, rather than that in any part they have exceeded a just and proper measure. From his letters, for example, and his diaries, we would gladly have seen more copious selections, as throwing the clearest and strongest light upon his religious character, the great interest of the volume, - and bringing the reader into a closer personal union with him, than can possibly be done in any other way. And, in the whole of Dr. Carpenter's character, there was such a beautiful truthfulness and simplicity, such perfect honesty, that we are sure, a line of his most private meditations or devotions could not have been printed, that would have had any other effect than to increase our general admiration of the man, and of these very qualities in particular. They were too genuine in him for any contradiction of them to be apprehended in anything he ever wrote. Often in the biographies of religious men, the "Diary" is that very thing, from which we shrink with distrust, because the general character wanted truth, and the record therefore must want it. But in the case of Dr. Carpenter, we look with eagerness for his own words in relation to himself, as the best possible authority; there is such a stamp of absolute honesty on the whole character, we feel that we can confide in him even better than another.

We do not make these remarks by way of complaint. Far from it. We think the son has completed his difficult, yet pleasing task, in a way that must satisfy his friends, and his father's friends, at home and abroad. He has given a true and faithful likeness, we are led to believe, of his parent, and,

In

at the same time, furnished a model of Christian excellence, on which all, but especially the young student of theology, may fix their eyes and gain wisdom and strength. his preface he expresses the apprehension, lest the natural partiality of a son should endanger or corrupt the truth of his representations, and unfit him for the task he had undertaken. This ground of fear is so obvious and so natural, that we suspect the effect of it in practice would be, that while guarding against error on one side, he would fall into as great or greater on the other, and paint his picture with colors far more timid and cold than even a stranger would have used. We cannot say that in the present instance the true medium has not been hit and preserved, for we had no personal knowledge of the subject of this biography, and have no other judgment than such as we have been enabled to form from a perusal of his works. But we can easily conceive, that the sensitiveness of so near a relation would naturally enough have the effect of which we speak. We should sooner look for partiality or flattery in a friend, or acquaintance, than in a son.

Without further preface, we shall proceed to offer a sketch of the life of Dr. Carpenter, relying for our materials entirely upon the volume before us.

Dr. Carpenter was born at Kidderminster, Sept. 2, 1780, the third son of George Carpenter, a carpet manufacturer of that place. Of his father little is said. The mother is described as a woman of great natural vivacity, warm and affectionate feelings, and trustful piety, and remarkable for her cheerful endurance and perserverance in the midst of difficulties," and from her he seems to have inherited some of the best qualities which afterward distinguished him. His father, while he was yet quite young, proving unfortunate in business, left Kidderminster, and his youngest son was adopted by a friend and relative of the family, a Mr. Pearsall, intelligent, benevolent, and religious, yet, with all his excellent qualities, hardly making up, we imagine, for the separation from his mother. These new circumstances were, however, on the whole, quite propitious to the manly growth of his character. A Sunday School was established by his guardian on his estate, about the same time, it is observed, that Raikes founded the institution at Gloucester, and without any knowledge of his movements. Young Carpenter took part in the school as