claims of German modern scholarship, nor the opinions I have stated as held by them."

"Certainly not, madam," replied this gentleman. "You are aware that Paul, in his epistles, tells us that there were many false teachers, and another gospel' than the Gospel of Christ, as he had received it by direct revelation from God. But I have interrupted this very interesting discussion; and, to renew it, I should be greatly obliged to you to tell us what Schwegler thinks of the gospels we call genuine."

Mrs. Spooner, reassured by the kindness expressed by the gentleman and Mrs. Outright, and by the company generally, who all professed to be much interested to know what modern scholarship said of ancient gospels, went on to say: "I can only give you my own impressions of their teachings. Schwegler holds that Matthew's gospel grew out of this 'Gospel according to the Hebrews;' inasmuch as the Hebrew conception of Christ characterizes this gospel."

"What does he call the Hebrew conception of Christ?" asked the gentleman.

"That Christ in it is the Messiah,' who comes to save his people from their sins,"" she replied. "This gospel was followed by Luke's, which is substantially the same, He adds nothing to the Christology of Matthew. The general tone of Mark is regarded as Ebionitic, slightly colored by speculations of a different kind. In it the old Jewish Christ is changing, almost imperceptibly, into another shape; losing his identity, but still no other than himself, though not wholly himself. The human outline is yet distinct, though its edges are slightly blurred and hazy, as if the figure was softening and melting into the angelic."

LAST SAYINGS OF NEANDER.

103

"You have succeeded admirably, madam!" said the gentleman; "but there is one other gospel. What do Schwegler and the latest of modern scholars say of John's gospel? Christ, under the transforming wand of these men, has become a very shadowy and doubtful person; but what have they made of John's gospel?"

"Ah!" replied the professor's lady, as if she felt the force of all that was said, "ah, sir! there's the rub, at last!"

"They find, perhaps, madam," said the gentleman, "the dying words of Neander true: This gospel is the battle-field of the whole argument.' But one other question, What of Paul?”

“O, Paul!” said the professor's lady, laughing; "there's no making anything of Paul - for neology!" And, with a curtsey, she took her husband's arm, and retired.

Our ladies went to their parlor, and sat a long time silent, Annie looking out of the windows to see the riding parties returning, and Gertrude upon a lounge, in a brown study. Rousing herself, she spoke her thoughts.

"There is nothing, Annie, more painful to me to witness than the exhibitions that we have all around us of time and talents worse than wasted. It is not only in the scepticism of infidel speculations, but in life itself. There is nothing to live for, nothing to die for. It is the pall of annihilation which is above, around, and beneath us. And this is the beginning and the end of a liberal Christianity! Indeed, it goes heavily with my disposition, that this goodly frame, the earth, is made a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you'; this brave o'erhanging firmament; this majestical roof, fretted

with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors.'

"Excellent!" cried Annie, rising, and taking a seat upon an ottoman at Gertrude's feet. "It has made you poetical, dear cousin."

"O, no; there's no poetry in me. Only, dear Annie, I was thinking that the universality of Shakspeare's genius supplies fitting expressions for all the wants of the soul. And when trying to analyze my thoughts about what we have heard just now, these sayings of Shakspeare presented themselves, and I could not deny to myself the pleasure of reciting them, as the most pertinent and proper of all I can think or say."

CHAPTER XX.

A DISCUSSION OF MODERN SAVANS.

Ir it was wonderful to witness the way in which the facts of history were sublimed, at the Conversaziones held at Castle Brunnens, it was not less surprising when the facts of science came in for their share in these new processes of investigation. And, if our ladies were gravelled by the discussions we have reported, Frank and Oliver found themselves upon the lowest form in the

*Hamlet: act ii., scene 2.

school of modern sciences, when, too, the topics were those they regarded as within the range of their own studies and pursuits. At the first scéance attended by Frank and Oliver, there seemed a general looseness among the members. Mr. Young, of Bostonia, addressing Doctor Thornton, who presided on this evening, remorselessly attacked those microscopic-minded men, Newton and La Place. "Many matters * now universally esteemed sublime, scientific truths, are but dark and occult errors;" and, speaking of the tides, he said: "Newton's theory is a tissue of absurdities and dilemmas." In this startling statement Mr. Young was upheld by a gentleman of the royal navy, who ought to know, at least one would think so, from his earnest, confident tone. He said: "Newton's theory was a gross fallacy, a palpable deceit, and an insult to the law of gravitation, on which it was founded." And he, too, was buttressed by a captain of the royal navy, who, in a tone of jeering contempt, said: "As for Newton, he is continually committing the grossest blunders, in consequence of neglecting the rules of geometry, and richly deserves to be decorated with the cap and bells." which Mr. Young rose and poured forth one of his " utterances : "

Upon

* Unity of Purpose; or, A Rational Analysis to Disclose Physical Truths, and to Detect and Expose Popular Errors. By Augustus Young. Boston, 1846.

"The Anomalies of the present Theory of Tides, elucidated by Additional Facts and Arguments. By Thomas Kenigan, R.N., F.R.S." London, 1847.

"New Theory of the Tides." By Captain Forman. London, 1848. Cited by Professor Lovering. See his able article on these subjects, in Christian Examiner, 1851, page 213.

"I declare, that I have yet to learn of any single discovery or principle, originally promulgated by Sir Isaac Newton, in any wise beneficial to physical astronomy."*

Frank and Oliver rose, by one impulse, and walked out upon the rampart. They looked up to see if the stars held their places; and there they were, shining in high heaven, so clear and bright, they felt it a joy to know that they were beyond the inconoclastic fury of the age. Walking and musing a while, both were glad of the soft breeze blowing, and the serenity of night, to restore to them the healthful play of their intellects.

“I think,” said Frank, "this night we have had a richer experience than is usually offered. We must have been fortunate. What would Pope have said, had this been spoken in Westminster Abbey, in front of the most felicitous of all epitaphs?" +

"Let us go to our wives, and tell them all we have heard,” said Oliver.

And they did so. They found in their parlor Mrs. Fitzallen, Lydia Greenleaf, and Professor Reinhard, sitting in happy converse. Frank, having related their experiences, the conversation turned upon the Conversaziones, and the gifted lady was alluded to. Professor Reinhard said:

"She really knows nothing of German metaphysics. This science requires German training; we breathe it in from our infancy; it is the atmosphere which surrounds us from birth to old age. Not so with you, in this land of out-door activity and

* "Unity of Purpose," before cited.

"Nature and all her works lay hid in night :

God said, Let Newton be,' and there was light."