But this exhibition of love as the law of life, existing in God apart from the act of creation; of righteousness in God as identical with a love for every individual soul, and a purpose to communicate that righteousness to every individual soul quite distinct from the soft, good-natured indulgence which is so often associated with the word love, had, it seemed to him, an actual power to kindle in the perceiving heart the love we could never awaken by any exertion of will on our part while it was demanded by a voice no human being could ignore. This once perceived, everything fell into its right place. We were "set right;" our efforts were based on a knowledge of the laws of the unseen world, and ceased to be futile.

member how he would suddenly modulate from his deepest tone of feeling into his peculiar enjoying laughter, when, after his usual protests against the theory of "life as probation," he would repeat, with indescribable relish, a piece of natural theology from a sermon he had once heard." And what were rocks made for, my brethren? Even that mariners might avoid them." That is my belief," he would add, with a full appreciation of the Irish proceeding thus ascribed to the Creator; and his frank acceptance of the absurdity lingers in the memory like some subtle perfume, so closely does it bind the deepest and the lightest parts of his nature.

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H. Hutton, in the series of "Tracts for Priests and People," containing the views which were substantially his own (though arrived at quite independently of him, and at a time when I believe Mr. Hutton had never heard his name), and I vividly remember the expression of relief in his voice, when, after listening to something of the same nature, he said, like one who felt a heavy weight grow lighter, “Ah, now I care less that what I write should be published, since I see there are others who feel it." He was urgent in season and out of season in impressing his views on any one who came in contact with him, because he believed them to contain the medicine for all the ills of humanity, but that they should be remembered as his views was a matter of absolute indifference to him.

Perhaps it will seem to some readers that the manner in which Mr. Erskine's views Such were the utterances which linger in are brought forward implies a somewhat the memories of his friends, with strangely exaggerated view of their originality. He varied associations of solemnity or oddness, was not a very wide reader, and I sometimes with quiet fields and the shadow of waving thought he over-rated the extent to which trees, or with the little bustle of a dinner his views were peculiar. Nothing gave party, and the inappropriate accompani- him greater pleasure than when he disment of clattering plates and desultory covered that he had done so. He read small-talk. The inner associations are with the greatest delight a tract by Mr. R. as varied as the outer. Sometimes his words came home to his hearers like the resolution of a discord; sometimes amusement at the quaint inappropriateness of the occasion chosen disturbed the hearer's attention; sometimes weariness at the monotony of the theme was the uppermost feeling for the moment; and sometimes his eagerness for some instantaneous expression of delight made one feel that he expected words to take the place of things. Ab, you are not understanding me!" was his frequent exclamation, when his hearer, perhaps, let the often-repeated exposition pass in silence; and few traits of character recur with a more penetrating sense of moral beauty than the sweet playful smile with which on one such occasion he received his hearer's confession that the sympathy, which had at first been abundant, was exhausted by incessant repetition. The same feeling manifested itself in a playful criticism on Socrates, after reading a new translation of the "Dialogues of Plato." "I delight in his unblushing tedium!" he exclaimed, with a humorous glance at the person who had confessed to being weary of his own outpourings. "Such impudent repetition as he allows himself!" The radiance of that sense of drolley that sparkled in his eye cannot be recalled, and the mere words are meagre. But it would be impossible to speak of him at all without dwelling on this sense of the humorous, which gave relief to the intensity of his demand for spiritual sympathy. I well re

If I were to venture on the natural though perilous attempt to indicate the kind of position he occupied by reference to some name better known than his, I should, though with much hesitation, select that of Coleridge. It would be of course absurd to compare the two men, but in some ways their influence was analogous. Each gave out his thoughts in what seemed the fragments of some magnificent whole, and were never more than fragments, and each occupied a position of sympathy with cherished beliefs which he approached from a side quite unknown to those who had been accustomed to cherish them. Each, I imagine the parallel might conclude, exercised an influence over thinkers of their day (of

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course in a very unequal degree,) of which | without receiving a strong impression of her, their published writings afford no measure. was Madame de Staël's daughter, the saintly The name, at all events, is mentioned here and beautiful Duchess de Broglie, whom he to suggest at least superficially the kind of described as one in whom the world could place Mr. Erskine occupied towards those find nothing to lay hold of." He knew her among the thinkers of his day and they at a later period of his life, and her influence were not few-who came at one time or over him had therefore a more mature charanother under his influence. But it was not acter to work upon, though in other respects so much by communication of thought-it his brother was the exception when he spoke was by a kind of manifestation of the invisi- of her as having set almost the deepest ble world that he laid hold of those who mark on his life. These two strong affeccame near him. Everything that reminds tions are mentioned here as an indication me of God reminds me of you," was said to of the permanence of all strong feeling in him in a letter by one of the deepest thinkers his nature. Since these two persons had of our day, and one least prone to such ex- passed away from this world, generations pression, the late A. J. Scott. An unwise had come and gone, new interests had friend once repeated the words to him long arisen, and old ones had grown dim. But after they had been uttered, and he turned the impression they had left on his mind had away almost with horror, but it was an as- not grown dim; they were still distinct, livsertion that might have been echoed, I be-ing influences to him, always emerging from lieve, by every one who ever knew him intimately. My soul is athirst for God," could have been said more truly by no man than by him, and it is difficult now ever to think of that after which he thirsted without recalling him.

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the depths of tender memory whenever he revisited the past, and recalled those types of divine love by which his life had been enriched and enlightened. There was something peculiarly appropriate to the impression made by him, moreover, in the fact that those he loved best should have entered very early into the unseen world, and that his love for them should, during the greater part of his sojourn here, be steeped in the awe with which we think of that unseen world, whenever it is turned into a living reality for us by the presence of those who have entered into our heart of hearts.

His life recurs to one's memory like the sigh of an exile. He never took root in this world. All the power of suffering, all the exercise of thought, which most men spread over the varied intercourse of human life, and the hopes and fears of its "business and desire," were with him concentrated upon that side of our nature that looks towards the unseen world. It was not that There were many others whom he loved he did not feel deep and lively affections; not in the same degree, but with the his friendships were all very deep and per- same kind of enduring, imperishable love — manent. Two persons, both his contempo- and the bond of a common humanity was so raries, and both of whom passed away in the strong with him that it did not seem to need early prime of life, were familiar to all who preference in order to bring out much of entered into any deep communion with him. what we generally suppose the result of One was his elder brother, of whom he used personal friendship. His most prominent to speak with a change of voice and counte- interests lay in the region below all individnance that made one feel as if it could have ual idiosyncrasies, and were shared with all. been but a few weeks since the two were Nor must it be thought that he was incapaseparated. Fifty years have passed since ble of appreciating others than those who he went," he said, a few years ago, “and responded to his demand for spiritual symit seems to me as if it were yesterday!" pathy. His sense of humour, and his taste This young man must have made a strong for all that was original and racy, was a impression on others than his own family, bond with many whom this demand, of itself, for, many years after his death, General would have repelled. He is a vernacular Elphinstone, our commander-in-chief in the man," was one of his most frequent and Afghan war, on hearing Mr. Erskine's characteristic expressions of eulogy, and he name, asked if he were brother to Captain would ask, as a kind of test of a common Erskine, of such and such a regiment, and, understanding," Do you know what I mean on being answered in the affirmative, said, by a vernacular man?" He himself afforded 'He was the best soldier and the best man an instance, in no common degree, of the I ever knew." I shall never forget the character which he indicated by that word voice in which Mr. Erskine repeated these that which avoids conventional forms of words. The other person whose influence thought, and speaks its own dialect. His upon him was so deep and permanent that reminiscences, for instance, of the Scotch it was impossible to know him intimately Bar in the early part of this century, when

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he was an advocate, led him into a sympa- | thoughts passed at once to the purpose thetic recollection of some men who were with which that suffering was sent, he could anything but saints, and he never referred never linger in the region of events and to them with that sense that between him circumstances, and though it is true that he and them was a great gulf fixed, which thus escaped much pain, yet the suffering sometimes makes the allusions of religious of an intense strain on one part of the napeople to men of the world so jarring. ture was probably greater than that of symThere was in him nothing of that hard ex-pathy with the vicissitude of human fate, clusiveness which we associate with the which he escaped. His friends could not word narrow, there was the very opposite but lament this unvarying strain. They extreme to that spirit. He had an abso- sometimes thought that even the truths on lute confidence of the highest blessedness which his mind's eye was ever bent would for every human creature which I never have gained in force and distinctness if they saw in any one else, and which was no had been seen against a background of mere doctrine in his mind, but its most commonplace interests, and been more vivid, animating principle. And yet with largely illustrated by the accidents of this all this range of sympathy it would be un- transitory life. But now to wish this had true not to add that there was a sense in been the case seems like wishing to lose he which he was narrow. Except where his recollection of one of the most striking insense of humour was touched, he too ex-dividualities we have known. This preocclusively regarded his fellow-men as pil-cupation with the interests of another life grims towards eternity. The most solemn seems like the glass tripod that isolates aspect of human life was too invariably be- the electric fluid; to imagine him brought fore his eyes. Sin, and the deliverance into the circle of average wishes and exfrom sin, were too constantly (though with pectations and occupations, is to remove the exceptions above mentioned) the ob- in thought what made himself. He would ject on which his gaze was intently directed. have been a happier, he might perhaps He was at times aware of this conflict be- have been a more useful, man if it had tween the varied interests of a complete been otherwise; but he would have been life and his view of the aim of that life. altogether another being from the man we "Falstaff and Mrs. Quickly," he murmured knew. once, more to himself than his companion, He is one of those it is most natural to one does no: see how to think of them think of in the mysterious world that lies and of the Cross together." He would beyond the grave. He was never at home never have excluded the Shakesperian ele- in this world, there was something in him ment; in his earlier years it engaged a very that demanded a different atmosphere from large proportion of his interest. But it was ours. His realities all lay in the region we a decreasing proportion, and in his old age, are tempted to consider unreal, the visible when the mind most needs rest from ar- and tangible universe seemed to have no duous thought, he suffered from the want soil in which he could take root. There is of light and varied interests. His friend- a rest in thinking of him as having escaped ships, tender and enduring as they were, from it, not only in that sense in which we were not of a kind to supply this kind of trust it is to all the summons to a higher refreshment. His friends were precious to stage of development, but in that more him, as has been said, as types of the love special sense in which we may give thanks of God; the environment of earthly inter- that one who long endured an ungenial cliests which gives a kind of intellectual ex-mate is recalled to a region after which he ercise to love, had very little place in his has long panted and where he feels himself feelings about them. If they suffered, his at home.

OLD BOOKS IN AMERICA. A remarkable | fact, that John Eliot's translation of the Bible book sale has lately taken place in America. into the language of the Indians in New EngThe books were the property of a citizen of Chi- land, printed at Cambridge in 1663, soll for cago, and the collection, which contained about 1060 dollars, about 2007; and Dibdin's Anti7,000 volumes, was considered as ninth or tenth quarian and Picturesque Tour," profusely ilamong the private libraries in America. Some lustrated, which had formerly belonged to Sir idea of the spread of bibliomania among our Francis Freeling, produced 1960 dollars, about Transatlantic cousins may be formed from the 3801. Notes and Queries.

From The Pall Mall Gazette. CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES.

ble for them, under existing circumstances, to have applied any directly preventive PEOPLE who have been put to expense treatment. We think he is right upon both and annoyance are seldom able to take a points. The mere list of dates given in his candid view of the conduct of those of their letter is sufficient to establish the zeal of neighbors who they think could have pre- the United States Government in putting a vented it had they only been at the trouble check on the operations of the actual invadto do so. It is quite natural, therefore, ers. The Fenians began to move on Monthat the Canadians should regard the recent day, the 23rd of May. The Cabinet met Fenian raid with the feelings described by on the 24th, and the President's proclamathe American correspondent of the Times in tion was immediately issued. On the 25th his letter of Monday. So long as no actual United States troops were converging from attempt had been made upon the Dominion all quarters towards the threatened frontier, it was conceivable that the Fenians in the and on the same day O'Neil was arrested. United States might entertain exaggerated By the 26th General Meade was commandnotions of the glory and plunder awaiting ing in person at St. Alban's, and the whole them on the other side of the frontier, and line of invasion was occupied by his soldiers. of the service they would do the cause of On the 27th the affair was over. We are the Republic in Ireland by making the mon- bound to say that the promptitude of these archy tremble in Canada. Further, it was movements contrasts favourably with the difficult to predict how large a number would routine delays which enabled the Alabama be influenced by the notions in question, and to effect her escape. The United States consequently with how formidable a force Government are certainly entitled to the the Canadians would have to contend. credit of having discharged an undoubted While these uncertainties lasted, the Cana- duty in a way which leaves no doubt of their dians were not likely to give much thought genuine determination not to give Great to the attitude of the United States in the Britain any cause to feel that their interprebusiness. Against a really serious danger tation of international law has been at all they knew that they must look for protec-affected by the subsisting dispute between tion to themselves alone. But as the real the two countries. In expecting the United value of the invading organization became apparent the excitement and the sense of responsibility declined. Fenianism dwindied down from a danger to a nuisance; and now the feeling in Canada seems to be that whether the Americans do or do not wish to see the British provinces invaded in good earnest, they should at any rate not allow themto be subjected to a series of sham invasions in which the worst sufferers are the hen-roosts of the frontier settlers. These trumpery inroads, the Canadians say, are the necessary result of allowing Fenianism to exist as a distinct political organization -to hold meetings, to appoint officers, to collect subscriptions. If it were refused leave to keep itself before the public in this way, it would soon die a natural death, and in that case these military demonstrations would fail for want of cash wherewith to pay the railway fares of the invading army. Why should the United States Government wait until there is an actual movement of Fenians towards the border? Why not kill the mischief in the egg by withdrawing the tacit sanction hitherto given to it in its pre-sonable complaint on the part of the Amerbelligerent stage?

The Times' correspondent thinks this feeling unreasonable. He argues that the U ited States authorities have shown themselves thoroughly in earnest in dealing with the recent raid, and that it would not be possi

States to do more than they have done already, the Canadians seem to be guilty of the same mistake which the people of the Northern States made so consistently during and since the civil war. They expect their neighbors to sympathize with them as well as to do their duty by them. The American Government says in effect, Whenever any of our subjects attack Canada we will throw every obstacle in their path. The Canadians answer that a great many American subjects are constantly proclaiming their desire and intention of attacking Canada without being in any way interfered with by the United States authorities. In much the same way the English Government used to declare its readiness to act whenever any attempt was made to fit out Southern privateers in English docks a declaration which was usually replied to by the quotation of some speech delivered at a meeting of persons sympathizing with the Southern States, and not disguising their intention of giving them material help so far as it might be in their power to do so. What was an unrea

icans is equally unreasonable on the part of the Canadians to-day. In no free State can the authorities control the expression of individual or associated opinion, so long as it does not involve those who entertain it in any breach of municipal law. Englishmen

had a perfect right to wish well to the cause | ministrations of the priest before the altar. of Southern independence, and Americans The explanation of these startling phenohave a perfect right to wish well to the Irish mena which the missionaries gave to themrepublic. The United States Government selves was at once simple and complete. are bound in the latter case, just as the They said that it was all the work of the English Government were bound in the Devil. With the express object of preventformer case, to take care that this moral ing the spread of Roman Catholic Christiansympathy does not lead to anything further, ity in these regions, the Prince of Evil had but there their obligation ends. We have had the malice to invent a caricature of it, just seen in the case of the Fenian invasion aud thus to create an obstacle to its propathat this limitation does not prevent those gation far more difficult to overcome than to whom it attaches from putting a prompt the most invincible ignorance and the most stop to any overt acts against a friendly obstinate superstition. power. We still hope that at some future time the American people will recognize that the similar limitation to which we ourselves were subject was equally compatible with the maintenance of the neutrality to which we stood pledged.

From The Pall Mall Gazette.
THE GRAND LAMA.

THOSE who have not forgotten one of the most amusing and instructive books ever written the work of Messrs. Huc and Gabet on China and Thibet - will remember the amazement occasioned to the simple Roman Catholic missionaries by the spectacle of Buddhism in the countries in which it is still a living faith. They had laboured in China, and were already aware that Buddhism was a vast and complex creed which, though some centuries older than Christianity, consisted, like it, partly of the maxims of a very pure morality and partly of a great system of dogma on matters supernatural. They were not ignorant that the dogmatic part of it rested on the authority partly of certain sacred books, but chiefly of a number of Councils, Ecumenical so far as the Eastern world is concerned, of which the meetings and the decisions are as well authenticated as anything in history. But, while they were familiar with these analogies, they were utterly unprepared for the resemblance which, in the countries on the north-west of China, Buddhism wears to the practice and ceremonial which they had left at home. They found large monasteries of celibate monks, living a life which, so far as could be judged from its external aspect, was precisely that of the religious in Europe. They found preaching friars, pilgrimages, and modern miracles. They found temples which at the first glance might be taken for churches, and a ritual which scandalized and frightened them by its similarity to the

One of the adventurous missionaries (if not both) is now dead. If they had been continuing their explorations during the present year they would have had yet one more devilish analogy to describe and account for. For Buddhism has not only its Scriptures, its Councils, its creeds, its asceticism, and its ceremonialism. It has also its infallible Pontiff. Nor is the way in which the Grand Lama acquired his “ prerogative of inerrancy" in any way a secret or a mystery. He obtained it partly no doubt through the decline of the more spiritual forms of Buddhism, and through the consequent general tendency to the grosser kinds of superstition; but the chief cause of his elevation was the decay of Councils. India had revolted from the faith; China had grown careless and contemptuous; there were great political difficulties in the assembling of Councils, and, even when got together, they would not have represented what was conventionally regarded as the world of Buddhism. Accordingly the substitute for Councils which presented itself to the comparatively small part of the Buddhist community in which devotion remained fervent was to take a priest and to believe, or make believe, that he was infallible. That there is a real analogy between the infallible personages at Rome and at Lhassa will not be denied by anybody whose faith does not go the length of belief in magic. The other resemblances between Buddhism and Christianity may be superficial or accidental, and certainly it would be a mere conceit to affect to see in one creed the principles inherent in the other. But, in presence of the tremendous assumption that a particular human being can commit no error of opinion whatever concerning the things of the other world, or concerning morals and politics in this life, all other differences disappear. All systems of belief which include such an assumption are essentially identical.

From this point of view, it is curious to observe how much more sensible and better adapted to its object is the system of select

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