spirit. "And here, I suppose, I shall meet with an objection in the outset," said he. "We have no time, particularly at this season of the year, when we have so much business to do that we can scarcely get to church. The chesnuts must be gathered in, or they will spoil or be lost. The cattle must be provided for against winter, or they will die.' Business! What is man's business here but to please his Maker? But your worldly business may be going on, and the great business of religion be promoted by it. Your occupations are of a nature to lead you constantly to think of God. The lands of some of you who live in the lower ground produce great abundance of maize, (or Turkish wheat,) and nothing can be more wonderful than the increase of this plant. You sow the seed in hope, and such is the bounty of Divine Providence, that your hope of a vast increase is rarely disappointed. When you see those lofty, sturdy plants rising up almost into trees from so small a seed, and observe how strongly the grain is fortified against the effects of weather and other injuries by its thick outward covering, which you cannot break asunder but with violence, can you help thinking of Him whose wisdom has thus given effect to his kind intentions towards you? Others of you are situated higher up the mountains, amidst the extensive woods of chesnuts with which nature has surrounded us. And perhaps you may sometimes be disposed to complain, My land produces me nothing but chesnuts.' But have you never considered that these chesnuts are the free gift of Divine Providence, which the sweat of your brows has never watered? You sowed no seed; no labour of yours reared and defended them; but there the trees stand, laden with fruit in their season. You have not even the trouble and danger of climbing them to secure your harvest. The fruit drops to the ground by its own weight as soon as it is ripe, without your interference, and in so great a quantity that it must perish, consumed by insects or devoured by other animals, were it not for another wise provision of Providence, who has marked it for the sustenance of man, by inclosing it with great nicety in a case, armed on the outside with prickles, which prevent any of the beasts of the earth from getting at it. It is found in such profuse abundance, and keeps so well, (owing to its being still protected by a second covering when the first is removed,) that it affords you a considerable part of your sustenance through the whole winter. These are reflections connected with the occupations of the mere mountaineer. By such thoughts as these his soul is led to the Great Eternal Source of good. But none of you need be so busy as to leave no time for the reading of the Scriptures. By the liberality of our English benefactors and others, every Vaudois family may soon be provided with a copy of the Bible, as a fresh stock is now on the road. Some already possess several, but henceforth no family need be without one copy of the word of God. And let me exhort you, my dear brethren, not to put this precious light of divine truth under a bushel; for example, to put it carefully by in a closet along with the garments which you have not in constant use; but to place it on a candlestick, that the whole house may be enlightened; that is to say, let one read aloud, that the whole family may have the benefit of it. "I have likewise to exhort the parents of this quarter to do their duty to their children by sending them to the school, but more particularly, by an early and careful attention, to correct what is amiss in their tempers and behaviour. The term original sin is one which we scarcely employ (le péché original est un mot que nous n'employons guères); nevertheless, every one must have observed a propensity in children, from their earliest infancy, to catch at what they see other children have, and as soon as they have received a blow to return it. This disposition God has enabled us to correct, by watchfulness, prayer, and the aid of his grace, which he never refuses to them who ask it in sincerity. But unless parents will conscientiously perform their duty by correcting the first indications of this disposition in their children, there is little hope that the man will ever get rid of it. And let me exhort all, young and old, to a steadfast perseverance in the faith and practice of our fathers, and a thankful improvement of the peace and means of religious instruction we enjoy in the present day. For these we are mainly indebted to our distant friends, whom Providence has raised up to visit us and support our schools. But what is it, my friends, which brings strangers from the other end of Europe to visit us? Nothing curious that we have here to shew them; but they come amongst us to see genuine Vaudois, who are deserving of the name, who still maintain with zeal and constancy that religion which they received at the first from the apostles or their companions, and which their ancestors so often bled to defend. "Last of all, I exhort you to love one another. I bless the Lord on your behalf, my dear brethren, that you all of the quarter of St. Marguerite, who met me here this time twelvemonth, are alive this day, and enabled to join your voices together in singing the praises of your heavenly Father; and I call upon you to shew your gratitude to him, by living in peace in this neighbourhood, and loving one another. I might say, consider me, your pastor, as your father, or the elder of your quarter, now present. But I forbear: God is your Father, and is pleased when he sees his children loving, aiding, consoling one another, which may he grant, through Jesus Christ our Lord." THE MOTHER. " OF Prince William Henry, who was for a long time resident at Hanover, I heard a trait which does honour to his heart. One day he met a woman leading in her hand a half-naked boy. Will you sell me your child?' asked the Prince. You may be a very rich gentleman,' she answered, but I would not take all your money in exchange for my child.' 'Why not?' said the Prince. 'Do you know then who I am? But come to-morrow to the castle, and if, indeed, I am not in circumstances to purchase your son, at least I can provide for him.' The woman appeared the next morning, as he had desired, and the Prince not only had the boy creditably educated, but promised to take him into his service, if he should prove honest and diligent."-Letters from the Continent, by Frederic Matthieson, translated by Anne Plumptre, p. 36. VOL. I. "Thy babe is naked, hungry, cold, 'Twill buy thee bread and clothing new." "Sore press'd by poverty we roam,— 2 P ALEXANDER was the eldest of the numerous offspring of Marianus Socinus.* He was destined from infancy for his father's profession, and gave early indications of superior genius and talents. After prosecuting his legal studies under the ablest masters at Siena and Padua, he took his doctor's degree in both laws at Siena in 1530, previously to which he had maintained with great applause three hundred theses, first for five days at Padua, and afterwards for two days at the university of his native city. Here he held for some time the office of one of the professors of Civil Law: he then removed to Padua, with the appointment of Professor in Ordinary, and acquitted himself with distinguished reputation. Owing to some dissensions, which arose between him and the other professors, he quitted this university for that of Siena, where he again occupied one of the law chairs. In the year 1541, an academy was established at Macerata, to which he was appointed Law professor with a very liberal salary. The year after his settlement at this place, he caught a severe cold in consequence of overheating himself in the amusement of playing ball, from the effects of which he died at the age of thirty-one. The high esteem in which he was held was evinced by the respect paid to his remains. The government of Macerata caused his body to be conveyed to Siena, accompanied by a guard of honour. Here he was buried in the family cemetery. Alexander was married to Agnes Petrucci, daughter of Burgesius Petrucci and Victoria Piccoluomine. Burgesius had succeeded his father Pandulphus Petrucci as the head of the Republic of Siena, but was soon compelled to relinquish his station by an opposing faction. His death followed shortly after. His widow Victoria, who was related to many of the principal fami * See above, p. 423. lies of the country, hore her loss with exemplary fortitude. For fifty years that she survived her husband she commanded universa Irespect and esteem by her amiable manners and excellent character. She is said to have bestowed peculiar care on the education of her daughter Agnes, to bring her up in a manner suitable to her rank, and to form her mind in habits of serious piety. When she bestowed her hand on Alexander Socinus he was considered a young man of high promise as to his acquirements and talents, and in every respect a suitable match. From this union was born Faustus Socinus, whom Pancirolus, writing when Faustus was very young, and little dreaming of his future heresy, styles Preclari ingenii juvenis, parentum vestigia secuturus esse speratur, a youth of excellent parts, who would, it was hoped, follow the footsteps of his parents. Alexander is described as a man of great acuteness of mind, of prodigious memory, and admirable eloquence. From the superiority of his genius he obtained the title of Pater Subtilitatum, the Father of Subtleties; because he pursued with brilliant success the studies for which his townsmen, and in an especial manner his own family, were pre-eminently distinguished.* CELSUS SOCInus. Celsus was another son of Marianus Socinus. He was educated for the legal profession, and for some time taught the Civil and Canon Laws in the university of Siena, from whence he removed to Bologna, to undertake the office of professor of the Canon Law. On the death of his father he was appointed his successor at Macerata, where, however, he remained only for a short period. Little is known of his subsequent history. It has been stated, but apparently without sufficient evidence, that he was appointed to a professor's chair at the university of Jena. There is reason to believe that a change in his religious sentiments rendered it expedient or necessary for him to relinquish his profession. He subsequently quitted his native country and retired to Switzerland.† CAMILLUS SOCINUS was another member of the same family, who resided at Siena. Having embraced the reformed doctrines, and gone beyond many of his contemporaries in his opinions upon some subjects, he was compelled to seek an asylum in Switzerland. The family had at this time incurred the suspicion of heresy, and could no longer remain in safety in their native city. On his retirement to Switzerland he joined the other Italian refugees, and his name frequently occurs in the ecclesiastical annals of this country. His avowal of Anti-trinitarian sentiments exposed him to much odium and persecution, and ultimately caused his expulsion from the Swiss States. He was classed with the Anabaptists of that period, and his proceedings gave occasion to a noted debate in a synod held at Coire in the Grisons in 1571, on the subject of the punishment of heretics. Though many advocated the more liberal side of the question, the majority were for rendering religious opinions the subject of penal inflictions, and decided against him. By Da Porta, the historian, who probably speaks the language of his adversaries and calumniators, he is styled a crafty and absurd man; but by others, who were more favourably inclined to his sentiments, he is represented as an * Pancirolus in Vitâ Alexandri Socini; Vita Fausti Socini Senensis descripta ab equite Polono, pp. 3, &c.; Bock, Hist. Antitrin. Tom. II. p. 575. † Pancirolus in l'ità Celsi Socini; Vita Fausti Socini, ut supra, Bock, II. p. 576. upright and pious person, zealous in the vindication of the truth against the new pharisees.* CORNELIUS SOCINUS. Cornelius is mentioned by Przypcovius as residing with his brother Camillus at Siena. The suspicion of heresy, which now attached to the family, caused him to be arrested by the emissaries of the church, and thrown into prison. He was fortunate enough, however, to elude their vigilance, and succeeded in escaping to Switzerland, where he joined his brothers.† In the account of the dispersion of the college or society of Vincenza in 1546, occur the names of Darius and Lælius Socinus. Darius Socinus was not the brother, but probably a near relation of the persons just enumerated. He fled to Switzerland, and resided for some time in the Grisons, whence he removed to Poland, and finally to Moravia. § Lælius was the youngest son of Marianus Socinus; his history will be next considered. R. S. CARDINAL XIMENES' MANUSCRIPTS. To the Editor. SIR, Hackney, July 2, 1827. ALLOW me to refer Mr. Rowe to a letter in Vol. XVI., p. 203, of the Monthly Repository, O. S., which I think sets the matter at rest respecting the manuscripts employed by Ximenes for his Polyglot. The story of their destruction is a very idle fable, and credulity has been rather daringly practised on by the statement that Professor Moldenhawer saw in 1784 the receipt given by the rocket-maker in 1749 to the ignorant librarian who had sold the manuscripts! These manuscripts must have heen strangely resuscitated after their "blowing up," since it is only four or five years since that the fingers holding this disbelieving pen turned over the seven which Gomez, who wrote in the sixteenth century, refers to as the seven Hebrew manuscripts used by the "unlimitedly munificent cardinal." A catalogue of the Alcala manuscripts was made there in 1745, which contains no other than those now existing. That the manuscripts referred to are modern and valueless, there can be no longer any question. "Error," "inadvertence," "precipitation," seem to me rather erroneously, inadvertently and precipitately charged on this occasion to the learned commentator on Michaelis. "Unwarranted inference," " extraordinary observation," "curious critique," "marvellous deduction," "absolutely inexplicable mistake," are terms of scorn and levity which might have been better spared by your very zealous correspondent. Of the competent sagacity of Ximenes himself to 'estimate the antiquity of the manuscripts he used, I have some doubt; and a little more inquiry into the character of the cardinal will satisfy Mr, Rowe, that his munificence was limited" by no small portion of meanness and avarice. 66 JOHN BOWRING. * Vita Fausti Socini, ut sup.; Da Porta, Hist. Reform. Eccles. Ræticarum, Tom. I. Lib. ii. p. 544; Bock, 576. Bock, II. 576, 624. Lubieniccius, p. 39; Sandius, B. A. p. 19. § Bock, II. 577; Lubieniecius, p. 40. |