Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1816-10-22

The Apocalypse OF St. John is also full OF instan-
ces OF submity.
The testimonies of several great men distinguish
ed for their talents aud attainmens who have shone
as luminares in the literary world, and who emo
bied and ornam.nted even human nature, may not
prove unacceptable to our readers.
!" 10 peruse the holy scriptures" says Mr. Ket,
IS one OF the first employments Of childhood. We
cannot fail to congratulate ourselves that our time
has been thus occupied when Judgment is sufficient
~ maiufed, to form comparative estimate OF the
various productions OF literature aud we fully
able TO determine their usefulness. And it will be
found las life IS vcrs,ing towards its close, when
every other book begins TO be iusipd and uninter-
estng that the Holy Bible which includes the most
ancient records of time. the dearest evidences of a
divine revelation aud the joyful promises OF eter-
nal happiness, will attract more and old
age advances and vii! afford US that divine soace
and mex pressible satisfaction which other writ
Jugs can give"
=. The common translation of the bible" contn-
les the same author, exclusive VI the important
iatnrc Of scontents, deserves great attention be
a,tare and compass Of its phraseoogy are such, as
prove NO less the powers of the language than the
correct judgment of the transiators. The words
are for the most part elegant and expressive, and
convey the sublime ideas Of the original, without
coarseness. or familiarity on the hand, or Pc
dantry aud Alteration the other"
The late Sir William Jones wrote the following
words on the last leaf Of his bible. have regu-
ar!y and attentivey read these holy scriptures, &
am of opiOion. that this volume, independently OF
its divine origin, contains more simplicity and beau
ty, more important history, and finer straias Of po-
etry and eloquencc than can be collected from all
other books. 10 whatever age or language they may
have been composed"
Mr.. MeIInoth, in his Essays on the Sublime and
Beautiful Of Scripture makes the following remarks.
+" The Bible contains all that be wisted by the
trlest Intellectual taste it enters sagaciousiy
and more deeply into human nature il deveiopes
character jelincates manner, charms the imagine
ton, and warns the heart, more eifectually than
any other book extant.
In letter written by the great Mr.. Locke the
year before his death to one who asked this ques-
tion, hat is the shortest aud surest way for
young man to attain the true knowledge Of the
christian religion % he says /" Let him study the
fieiy Scriptures and especially the ADVERTISEMENT.
Therein contained the words Of eternal life. 1t
has God for its author salvation for its end and
truth without any mixture Of error for its matter"
After these concentrations, any further recon-
mesdatons of scriptures, is superauous. Consider
ing their intrinsck excellence and divine original
1t is TO be regretted that their use though comnon
is not still more frequent. Wretched must be the
taste OF him who would exclude the oibIe fruln his
library work, Astounding with the most accurate
history, the finest images, the grandest and most
magnificent conceptions ".