TO read everything would be impossible. Some hooks it is unwise to reda at all and of others a little may suffice. If somebody would boil down modern literature into the essence of knowledge, and sell it out in shilling's- worths, he would deserve the heartiest commendations; for as things now are, what with the hone of platitude, the gristle of verbosity, and the suet of fine writing, our largest masses of literary provender hardly afford a man a breakfast of really nutritious mental food. It seems that two hundred years ago from this very date, John Spencer, who was not a scholar by
profession, but humbly calls himself a lover of learning and learned men, issued a goodly tome, in which he presented his readers with extracts from all the authors within his reach: extracts metaphorical and curious, and for the most part judicious and valuable, lie must have been a marvel of industry, for his quotations number 2283, and are taken from the classical, patristic, puritan, and every other school of authorship. To every paragraph he has appended "the names of those at whose torch he bas lighted his taper," and thus as quaint Thomas Fuller says. "he hath revived the memories of many worthies, and of their speeches which otherwise had utterly been lost." lie took care to place an appropriate heading over every extract, and to furnish an excellent index. Having, like the her, sucked honey from ten thousand flowers, he stored it with the greatest diligence in well-arranged cells, and having lived out his hour like the rest of us poor working bees, he died. leaving his dripping honeycombs to us, his heirs. Up till the present year, "Spencer's Things New and Old" have been a cabinet whitebait dinner for the few, rather than a banquet for the many, but now his dainties are brought to every man's door, and all the world may
purchase them. Mr. Dickinson and Mr. Tegg have each issued an edition of this valuable work, and we fear there is more fear of a glut in the market than of a scarcity. In this case, too many cooks will not spoil the broth, nor will they cause, damage to the company, but we are half afraid the worthy men may stall themselves, or lind their viands growing moldy in the
cupboard. It is a thousand pities that by some mutual arrangement they had not avoided the loss, which, unless the public be very discerning, must accrue to one or both of the publishers, it is not possible for us to have a preference for either of the editions. How happy could we be with either.
The portly volume of Mr. Dickinson is just the book for shelves which are enriched with Puritanic folios, for which we must ever feel a reverence and
love. Of course, such a book is heavy, but then we do not hold it up, but the table bears the weight, and then the type and the large page are delightful. Moreover, in this volume, we have Cawdray's remarkable compilation, and so have two treasures in one. As for Mr. Tegg's two volumes, they are of a convenient and usable size, and one ran turn round to the fire with a copy in one's hand. The volumes are well got up, and will he preferred by many, though we, ourselves personally, cannot see a pin to choose between the two editions, they are both so exceedingly good. As a cluster from Eshcol made men long for the vineyards of Canaan, perhaps a specimen or two will make our readers desirous to purchase the work.
1266. Idleness the cory inlet to all temptations. — It was the speech of Mr.
Grin-ham (some time a painful preacher of this nation) that when the devil tempted a poor soul, she came to him for advice, how she might resist the temptation, and he gave her this answer: Never be idle, but be always well employed; for in my own experience I have found it, when the devil came to tempt me, I told him that I was not at leisure to hearken to his
temptation, and by this means I resisted all his assaults. Thus must all of us do, when the devil comes to tempt any of us, say: I am not at leisure to lend an ear to thy temptations, I am otherwise employed, I am in the work of my God, busied in the work of my lawful calling, and taken up with the thoughts of God's blessings thereupon, then he will never be able to fasten upon thee; for so it is, that he never gets advantage of any man or woman, but either when they are out of God's way, or idle, or have their hands in some sinful action, then it is that they do even tempt the tempter to tempt them, and lay themselves open to a world of sin and wickedness."
"1323. How it is that Faith challengeth the superiority over other graces.
— Take a piece of wax and a piece of gold of the same magnitude, the wax is not valuable with the gold; but as the wax hangs at the label of some will, by virtue of which some great estate is confirmed and conveyed, so it may be worth many hundred pounds. So faith considered purely in itself, doth challenge nothing more than other graces, nay, in some sense it is inferior, it being an empty hand; but as this hand receives the precious alms of Christ's merits, and is an instrument or channel through which the blessed streams of life flow to us from Him, so it doth challenge a
superiority over, and is more excellent than, all other graces whatsoever."
"1849. Conscience spoils the wicked man's mirth. — There is a story of one who undertook in a few days to make a fast sheep lean, and yet was to
allow him a daily and large provision of meat, soft and easy 1odging, with security from all danger, that nothing should hurt him. This he effected, by putting him into an iron grate, and placing a ravenous wolf hard by in another, always howling, fighting, scenting, scratching, to come at the poor sheep; which, affrighted with this sad sold and worse sight, had little joy to eat, less to sleep, whereby his flesh was suddenly abated. And thus it is that all wicked men have the terrors of an affrighted conscience constantly, not only barking at them, but biting them, which spoil all their mirth, dis- sweetens their most delicious pleasures with the sad consideration of the sins they have committed and punishment they must undergo when, in another world, they shall be called to an account for what they have done here in the flesh."
"1367. Complete Christian Duty. — It was the speech of Mr. Bradford, that he could not leave a duty till he had found communion with Christ in the duty, till he had brought his heart into a duty-frame. He could not leave confession till he had found his heart touched, broken and humbled for sin;
nor petition, till he had found his heart taken with the beauties of the things desired, and carried out after them; nor could he leave thanksgiving, till he had found his spirit enlarged, and his soul quickened in the return of proses: just like that of St. Bernard, who found God in every duty, and communion with him in every prayer; this was true, sincere, complete Christian duty. And thus it is that the soul taken with Christ desires
converse with him in prayer, in hearing, and in meditation, on, Isaiah 58:9.
And such too is the genius of a soul taken up with Christ, that duty doth not content it, if it find not Christ in the duty; so that, if the end of a duty hath not left it on this side Christ, it hath left it so far short of true
comfort."
"1417. Riches, the danger of them being not well used. — In an artichoke, there is a little picking meat, not so wholesome as delicious, and nothing to that it shows for; more than the tenth part is unprofitable leaves; and besides, there is a core in the midst of it which will choke a man if he take not good heed. Such a thing is wealth that men so covetously desire; it is like some kind of fish, so full of bones and unseen, that no man can eat of them without great danger. The rich man's wealth is very troublesome to the outward man, like a long garment that is too wide, if he tread upon it, he may chance to catch a fall a fall into much discontent and envy of the world; but to the soul, riches if not well employed, prove very pernicious, making a man vainly confident; thinking that he is so walled and moated
about, that he is out of all gunshot when he is more open to danger than a poorer man, then they make him proud: and pride, saith St. Bernard, is the rich man's cozen, it blows him up like a bladder with a quill; then he grows secure, and so falls into sudden ruin.