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human productions, they deserve to be studied, as one of the most 

 curious and original monuments of the East." And Granville 

 Penn, a writer of a very different spirit from Gibbon, says, " that 

 it is impossible for the utmost power of human industry and 

 circumspection to gather in the harvest of sacred criticism so 

 completely, as that here and there an ear should not remain be- 

 hind for the gleaner who comes after; and it is with these, and 

 no loftier pretensions, that such are now offered to the reader." 



I had formerly the pleasure of being acquainted with a minis- 

 ter, well known in the literary world, now removed from works to 

 rewards ; a man of learning, talents, and eloquence ; in conver- 

 sation elegant, instructive, and delightful. Some of his friends 

 thought his pulpit eloquence by no means corresponded with his 

 private conversation, and were a little annoyed by the plainness 

 and familiarity of his language. One of them remonstraling with 

 him on this subject, the worthy minister, unwilling to pursue the 

 argument, pulled the bell, and desired his servant to take down 

 one, from a number of boxes, ranged in order, upon the upper 

 shelf in the library ; he did so indiscriminately. Like all the 

 others, it contained the correspondence of a year: the minister 

 requested the gentleman to peruse a few of the letters, while he 

 finished some business in which he was engaged: after reading 

 half a dozen, he exclaimed, " persevere, m} r valuable friend, in 

 your present method of preaching; change not: and may your 

 Great Master continue, as he has hitherto done, to bless your 

 endeavours/' I need hardly say, these were letters from persons 

 under contrition, " sorrow, need, sickness, or some other adver- 



