After the meeting, we inquired if he had heard it. "Why, nearly the whole." We also asked how he liked the address. He replied," Exceedingly. It was the speech of a man of genius,bold, glowing, vehement, full of imagination; still, it would have been improved by a little more simplicity. I am such an advocate, you see, of simplicity; I am so accustomed to what is plain and chaste, that I like nothing which is very ornamented. Still, I consider the Doctor to be a man of great eloquence and fire, and displaying remarkable imagination."

The above are some specimens of Mr. Jay's observations to us, at one period and another, which we might have considerably multiplied. We carefully noted them down, shortly after they were made, and feel assured, from their variety, their acuteness, their excellence, that they will be appreciated and admired. And they show, in the clearest manner, what a range of thought Mr. Jay was accustomed to take; how extensive was his reading, how profound were his views, how sage were his opinions. In furnishing the selection we have done-which has been the result of considerable care, and with the utmost regard to accuracy-we have been desirous of

presenting before our readers the concise, pointed, and valuable remarks of our revered friend on a considerable number and variety of interesting subjects; and all must admit that those remarks unfold the mind and character of the late observant, reflective, and eloquent William Jay.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE WRITINGS OF MR. JAY,

No material difference of opinion, we are persuaded, can be entertained among competent judges, among the enlightened and devout disciples of Christ especially, with regard to the character, the tendency, the results, of the writings of the late Mr. Jay. He was a voluminous author, but always wrote well, and never wrote too much. When he sat down to write for the press, he ever had a great design in view;his supreme object was usefulness;-he aimed at doing good, in the largest sense, to his fellow-men. This is seen in every page of his works; and those works, taken as a whole, must be deemed by every intelligent person, and by every one imbued with the spirit of the Gospel of Christ, most sterling, most improving, most admirable, and, to Christian families especially, they have been almost invaluable.

The writings of Mr. Jay must not be unwisely or unduly eulogised. They have their character

istic excellences, and, in their own way, those excellences are great; but we would not class Mr. Jay with our most renowned authors. No author has been more extensively useful; many authors, by their splendid genius, have been much more illustrious. His writings, to refer simply to those of our own time, are not imaginative, vivid, dashing, brilliant, like those of Chalmers, not profound and massively strong, like those of John Foster,-not precise, logical, argumentative, philosophical, like those of Dr. Wardlaw or Dr. Vaughan,-not classically elegant and beautiful, like those of Robert Hall or Dr. Harris. They are altogether dissimilar in their character and features. His mind was different from theirs, his object in taking up his pen was specifically to do good, and the scope of his writings is distinct and peculiar; still, with all the brilliance of one, all the depth of another, all the logic of a third, and all the power of a fourth author, Mr. Jay's writings are full of excellence, are peculiarly valuable; and, in the judgment. of the distinguished men to whom we have just alluded, were exceedingly interesting, instructive, able, and important; calculated for lasting usefulness. Mr. Jay was popular as an author, almost as soon as he commenced his labours in that

capacity. His first compositions through the medium of the press were received with marked public favour. Distinguished as a preacher, he became almost equally distinguished as a writer, in connexion with experimental, practical theology; and his celebrity as a preacher increased and established his celebrity as an author.

He laboured hard, through the channel of the press, for many years proving himself to be a most diligent and indefatigable writer; and his popularity in this department of service, as a most useful and valued author, has been uniformly maintained, without so much as ever faltering or flagging. His books have ever sold well; they have ever been good property; they sell now most steadily ;- —a demand, from all parts of the empire, is continually made for them; and we believe that while the English language endures, and true Christianity is valued among us, the writings of Mr. Jay will be widely purchased, will be highly esteemed, and will be rendered a precious blessing to thousands. The circulation of Mr. Jay's volumes in this country, among all classes, has been surprising, even among those who have not been decidedly pious. Respectable and devout families, in particular, have procured his writings, and read them regu