DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.34827#0426
410 Zz/9 <?/* cn. xix.
He kept up to the last the practice of making notes of his
reading. Though he was never blind, he could neither read nor
write for any time continuously without suffering pain, and he
had to rely on the aid of a reader for many years. The entries
in the journal latterly became short and irregular. On only
one occasion during the last year are there any sustained remarks
on the book he had in hand, and these were suggested by Sir
G. Lewis's essay on the government of dependencies. By far
the greater portion of his notes are on Indian questions that
interested the public at the time. The journals throughout
are reticent on religious subjects, but when the subject is
referred to they breathe a spirit of resignation and reliance on
his Maker. I give insertion to the following passage, which,
though not belonging to the later entries, will show the spirit
in which he approached these subjects:—
6, 1846.—I have just read Pope's Universal Prayer,
almost the first prayer I ever learned, and the one I should wish
last to utter. Every word it contains is what I could say from
the heart, and the omissions which I have seen it blamed for
seem to me among its greatest merits. In many prayers, even
in those of the Church, there is an apparent belief that God
is to be won by praises, and influenced by entreaties and eja-
culations, not by their fervour, but their frequent repetition.
Much reliance is also placed on strong professions of faith in
orthodox opinions, and there is an appearance almost impious
of establishing a separate interest with the second Person of
the Trinity. I have heard prayers in which this is carried so
far as to remind one of the common people in Catholic coun-
tries, who try to pique the pride of the Virgin, and to show
how much her honour is concerned in the accomplishment of
petitions addressed through her. The effect of these abuses
is to raise a doubt whether it is not presumptuous to pray at
all; whether you can instruct omniscience, even as to your
wishes, and whether you can increase the bounty of perfect
benevolence. But prayer is useful for ifs influence, not on the
Divinity, but on the suppliant. As in Pope's prayer, it points
out that you have duties to perform, and that they are imposed
He kept up to the last the practice of making notes of his
reading. Though he was never blind, he could neither read nor
write for any time continuously without suffering pain, and he
had to rely on the aid of a reader for many years. The entries
in the journal latterly became short and irregular. On only
one occasion during the last year are there any sustained remarks
on the book he had in hand, and these were suggested by Sir
G. Lewis's essay on the government of dependencies. By far
the greater portion of his notes are on Indian questions that
interested the public at the time. The journals throughout
are reticent on religious subjects, but when the subject is
referred to they breathe a spirit of resignation and reliance on
his Maker. I give insertion to the following passage, which,
though not belonging to the later entries, will show the spirit
in which he approached these subjects:—
6, 1846.—I have just read Pope's Universal Prayer,
almost the first prayer I ever learned, and the one I should wish
last to utter. Every word it contains is what I could say from
the heart, and the omissions which I have seen it blamed for
seem to me among its greatest merits. In many prayers, even
in those of the Church, there is an apparent belief that God
is to be won by praises, and influenced by entreaties and eja-
culations, not by their fervour, but their frequent repetition.
Much reliance is also placed on strong professions of faith in
orthodox opinions, and there is an appearance almost impious
of establishing a separate interest with the second Person of
the Trinity. I have heard prayers in which this is carried so
far as to remind one of the common people in Catholic coun-
tries, who try to pique the pride of the Virgin, and to show
how much her honour is concerned in the accomplishment of
petitions addressed through her. The effect of these abuses
is to raise a doubt whether it is not presumptuous to pray at
all; whether you can instruct omniscience, even as to your
wishes, and whether you can increase the bounty of perfect
benevolence. But prayer is useful for ifs influence, not on the
Divinity, but on the suppliant. As in Pope's prayer, it points
out that you have duties to perform, and that they are imposed