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thirst for power, wealth, and distinction, in the priesthood of even the Protestant Established Church, and of their making it the stepping-stone to self-aggrandisement, and seldom have we found even them exerting their power and influence to advance the real knowledge, and promote the good, of the people.

We have hardly yet had time to judge how far our late grand Emancipation act works for the good of poor Ireland, but for this I must refer you to the papers of the day. I sincerely wish that all the benefits contemplated by its advocates may result. For myself, I have always been desirous of not prolonging, by any act or countenance of mine, the existence of what it is most desirable should die as early a natural death as may please the God of truth; and never, on the ground of any temporal expediency of any sort, hypocritically to hold a candle to the Devil, or to any of his messmates. I am no enemy to the temporal interests and welfare of the Papists, but I morally and mortally detest their system. I also wish quite as well to the Greeks and their cause, but I have my doubts of the stability of any government or edifice which such a people can raise for the establishment of their independence and rational freedom. I sincerely wish the Powers allied in their favour may finally succeed in their endeavours at Constantinople to bring about peace between the Turks and Russians, and to free the Greeks from the yoke of the former. For

it was never intended by the Almighty that man should oppress his fellow, and therefore I trust that they may at least be allowed to make the experiment of trying to govern themselves. But will they succeed? Only look at the Spanish Americas, and say on what part of the Greek character is rational hope to be founded. The Creole Spaniards and the Greeks have each the most fertile and beautiful countries under heaven, where every thing may be produced, but where the seeds of true patriotism seem to be extinct. Long ere this can reach you, you will, of course, have been enabled to judge on the spot, of the probable result of the negociations now said to be going on at Constantinople, which, as far as I can see from the papers here, the generality of people are disposed to think will finally settle the Russian and Turkish war, and the independence of Greece; but I confess I see little ground for being so sanguine in my expectations of the result, and yet I hope I may be wrong, for the sake of humanity.'

After some observations on the characters engaged in these negociations, and their probable success, the writer continues-Should your Admiral, on the contrary, be reduced to the necessity of having recourse to the more forcible arguments of his proper profession, surrounded as he is by such distinguished supporters, I have the fullest confidence as to the result, and that when you return, crowned with the laurels of victory, you will all be rewarded

with ribbons, and other pretty things, and Sir with a peerage and the smiles of a king, and be the envy of all the world, except a few rusty old philosophers like me, and many wiser men who care for none of these things. Now, my dear ...., I think your eyes will have been fatigued with deciphering all this, and therefore I will have pity on you, and desiring our kindest remembrances and best wishes to you all, believe me ever, with great truth,

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'P. H.

23, Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park, Aug. 1, 1829.'

Although Captain Heywood's correspondence, of which the above is a slight example, was thus active, and his attention always awake to the proceedings of the political and scientific world, the energies of his pen were chiefly exerted for his private use. Several volumes of MS., containing memoranda on the subjects of his inquiries, in which theology held a conspicuous place, were destroyed by him a short time before his death. He feared that observations might go forth as his, which, on maturer consideration, he should be inclined to disavow or modify; and which, indeed, were never intended for the public eye. His valued partner would, for her own sake, have gladly rescued some of these precious relics from destruction; but in answer to all entreaties to spare them, he would reply, that hereafter some well-meant affection for

his memory might possibly induce a violation of that privacy which it had been his happiness to preserve. "Pure in the last recesses of his mind," he shrunk with sensitive delicacy from publicity and display. His modesty would have kept watch, like a guardian spirit, even over his tomb, to prevent the accents of human adulation from breaking the stillness of his last repose. If any consideration could reconcile his departed spirit to the appearance of this volume, it would only be some possible contribution to the spread of virtue and honour amongst mankind—' of truth, candour, and justice,' which, at the conclusion of a letter to one who had allowed his mind to be poisoned by unfounded suspicion and evil report, he calmly says, ' are the rules and principles of my conduct.'*

It is evident from the letters of Captain Heywood, which have been given, and from the whole tenour of his conduct, that he was a truly religious man. A grateful and adoring sense of the perfections and government of the one living and true God pervaded his mind, and his piety was connected with an invincible integrity and moral purity, which the world had no power to wound or stain. Can such an union of gentleness and firmness, of disinterested

* 66 Integritatem atque abstinentiam in tanto viro referre injuria virtutum fuerit. Ne famam quidem, cui etiam sæpe boni indulgent, ostentandâ virtute, aut per artem quæsivit: procul ab æmulatione adversùs collegas, procul a contentione adversùs procuratores : et vincere inglorium et atteri sordidum arbitrabatur.”—Taciti Agricola.

ness and modesty, as was found in him, have any other foundation than religion?

On board ship he always acted as his own chaplain, and he was accustomed every Sabbath-day to assemble the ship's company, and read to them portions of the Church service and of Blair's Sermons. He admired these sermons for their practical character, and a copy of them was always in his cabin for the use of his midshipmen, to whom he recommended their perusal. To the latest period of his life he was fond of the study of the Bible, to which he devoted himself critically, and he would shut himself up in a room for a long time, particularly on Sunday, to pursue this occupation. On these occasions he secluded himself even from his family, upon the principle, that religion is an affair between every man's conscience and his God; and he rather exhorted his dearest associates in life to pursue a similar plan of studying the Bible for themselves, than endeavoured to influence their speculative belief.

It will be interesting to the reader to know that, with these habits and views, he was in religious sentiment strictly a Unitarian. Though he rarely made religion the topic of his conversation, because, perhaps, he met with few who sympathized in his feelings on that most interesting and important of all subjects; and though he had a great objection to personal controversy and discussion, knowing how soon the cloud and storm of the temper inter

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